Joe Pride can’t fathom why Estadio Mestalla draws two kilos over a Group 1 winner for the Luskin Star Stakes, though he knows the dependable gelding will exert himself completely.

The seven-year-old’s standout victory came in last season’s Listed Winter Stakes (1100m), leading to a 61kg assignment in Saturday’s Scone centerpiece, while Linebacker—2025 Randwick Guineas winner and Group 3 Silver Eagle (1300m) scorer from spring—has just 59kg.

“Explain that one to me,” Pride quipped.

“He is curiously weighted.”

Estadio Mestalla has shown prowess lugging heavy imposts, scoring under 63kg at Randwick on Melbourne Cup Day and achieving a placing with 61kg in December’s Summer Cup (2000m).

Pride attributes part of Estadio Mestalla’s weight-carrying ability to his powerful structure, yet emphasizes it’s not the sole reason.

“I have also had some good small horses able to do it,” Pride said.

“He’s a very well-balanced horse, and quality helps them carry weight. If they’re not good, they can’t carry it against anyone.”

Handicapping issues notwithstanding, Pride looks for a robust run from Estadio Mestalla building on his late charge to sixth in the Hawkesbury Gold Rush (1100m), his first start since summer.

Saturday’s 1300m Luskin Star Stakes represents another preparatory step toward the gelding’s grand plan—the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) in Brisbane next month—and Pride sees victory potential here.

“He will peak third-up, but he will run very well at Scone,” he said.

“The Stradbroke is his goal.”

The Scone event has gone to elite gallopers such as Osborne Bulls (2018), third in The Everest subsequently and retired with five Group 1 placings; Trekking, achiever of the 2019 Luskin Star Stakes-Stradbroke double plus Everest place; and sharp Lost And Running (2021).

Visit the betting sites for racing odds on this year’s Luskin Star Stakes.

Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is reportedly on the brink of etching his name into the NBA history books.

Gilgeous-Alexander will be named the 2025-26 NBA MVP, ESPN reported Sunday.

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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gestures after scoring a basket against the Boston Celtics during the second quarter at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Mar. 12, 2026. (Alonzo Adams/Imagn Images)

It will mark his second consecutive MVP award and he will be the 14th player in NBA history to achieve back-to-back honors. He followed Nikola Jokic who won it two straight times in 2020-21 and 2021-22. Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo did it the two years before Jokic.

The Denver Nuggets star and San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama were also finalists for the award.

Gilgeous-Alexander, fresh off an NBA championship last season, led his team back to the top of the NBA in 2025-26, earning the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. He averaged 31.1 points, 6.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 68 games for the Thunder.

He was also named the Clutch Player of the Year.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander controls the ball against Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams during the first quarter at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on Mar. 18, 2026. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)

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Jokic and Wembanyama also put together formidable seasons that could have yielded them MVP honors too.

Jokic averaged a triple-double with 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game. It was the second straight year he averaged a triple-double.

Wembanyama bounced back from a blood clot that cost him the back half of last season. He averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game. The Spurs finished second in the Western Conference after going 34-48 last season.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drives to the basket past Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs in the third quarter at Kia Center in Orlando, Fla., on March 17, 2026. (Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images)

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Gilgeous-Alexander and Wembanyama both have their eyes set on glory as they look for a championship. The Western Conference Finals matchup is expected to be a doozy and what NBA fans had been hoping to see up until this point of the year.

Rajasthan Royals’ Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continued his sensational IPL 2026 campaign by becoming the Indian batter with the most sixes in a single IPL season during Rajasthan Royals’ clash against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday. The 15-year-old opener went past Abhishek Sharma’s previous record of 42 sixes from IPL 2024 and now sits alone at the top with 43 maximums this season. The milestone further highlighted the fearless batting approach that has turned Sooryavanshi into one of the biggest stars of IPL 2026. Most sixes in an IPL season among Indians: 43* – Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (2026) 42 – Abhishek Sharma (2024) 39 – Shreyas Iyer (2025) 38 – Virat Kohli (2016 & 2024) 38 – Suryakumar Yadav (2025) The teenage sensation once again made an explosive start in Delhi. Facing Lungi Ngidi, Sooryavanshi smashed the very first ball he faced for a six and immediately put DC under pressure with his fearless strokeplay. He eventually fell for a breathtaking 46 off just 21 balls after giving RR another flying start at the top of the order. Before his dismissal, Sooryavanshi stitched together a rapid 70-run partnership with Dhruv Jurel in only 34 deliveries, completely shifting momentum towards Rajasthan. RR’s aggressive approach also helped them race to 75/1 in the Powerplay, their second-highest Powerplay score against DC in IPL history. Their only better effort remains 79/0 at the same venue back in 2018. It was also the fifth time this season that Sooryavanshi had started his innings with a maximum and the eighth such instance overall in IPL cricket already. He also joined an elite list of players to hit their first ball for a six three times in a single IPL season. Players to hit their first ball for a six three times in an IPL season: Shahrukh Khan (PBKS) – 2023 Sunil Narine (KKR) – 2025 Devdutt Padikkal (RCB) – 2026 Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (RR) – 2026 Sooryavanshi’s six-hitting ability has become one of the defining stories of the season. At just 15 years old, he is already rewriting IPL record books once dominated by some of the biggest names in T20 cricket.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be without regular captain Rajat Patidar for their crucial IPL 2026 clash against Punjab Kings at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Sunday, with wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma set to lead the side in his absence.

According to sources, Patidar did not travel with the squad to Dharamsala and also missed both practice sessions ahead of the much-anticipated rematch of the IPL 2025 final, where RCB defeated PBKS to lift their maiden title.

“Rajat Patidar won’t be playing today. Jitesh will captain RCB for this game. Patidar was not seen in the team’s travel videos and missed training as well. He is expected to return for RCB’s final league game in Hyderabad,” a source told IANS.

Patidar has been one of Bengaluru’s standout performers this season, scoring 326 runs in 10 innings at a blistering strike rate of 195, including three half-centuries. His absence leaves a major gap in RCB’s middle order and forces the team management to rethink their batting combination for a crucial encounter.

RCB currently sit at the top of the IPL 2026 points table and another victory would officially seal their playoff qualification. The team heads into the contest with strong momentum after back-to-back wins. The Bengaluru franchise will also continue to miss English opener Phil Salt, who remains unavailable due to a finger injury. As a result, fellow England batter Jacob Bethell is expected to continue opening alongside Virat Kohli.

Playing XIIs for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings:

RCB: Jacob Bethell, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Venkatesh Iyer, Jitesh Sharma(w/c), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma

PBKS: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh(w), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer(c), Suryansh Shedge, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Lockie Ferguson, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal

NLEX import Cady Lalanne shoots a jumper over TNT import Bol Bol during a PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinal game.–PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines—NLEX import Cady Lalanne had his best offensive outing for the Road Warriors in their PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals decider against TNT at Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo on Sunday.

Yet, even that wasn’t enough to tow his squad out of trouble as TNT advanced to the semifinals after a 118-112 victory with Bol Bol leading the way again.

READ: PBA: Bol Bol, TNT knockout top seed NLEX to reach semifinals

After turning in a stellar game of his own that resulted in heartbreak, Lalanne was gracious enough to give his Tropang 5G counterpart his flowers.

“He’s 7 ‘3, man,” he said in jest after dropping a conference-high 46 points that went with 15 rebounds.

“He’s an NBA talent at 7 ‘3, moving like that, shooting shots and dribbling the ball, it’s not normal.”

Even Lalanne’s hot-shooting night and defense weren’t enough to contain Bol.

READ: PBA quarterfinals: TNT forces do-or-die game after escaping NLEX

Bol ended up with yet another double-double, recording 35 points and 13 rebounds.

“They’re a great team, they got a veteran team and veteran players who’ve played together for a long time and won championships,” Lalanne said.

“Going up against a piece and team like that you just have to execute and work hard.”

Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal LIVE Updates: The highly-anticipated Kolkata Derby between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal is underway at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata. Mohun Bagan and East Bengal are tied 0-0 after 20 minutes in the first half. Both teams are locked on 22 points at the top of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2025-26 points table, with two games to go. As a result, the winner of this match will become decisive favourites to clinch the ISL title. Historically, Mohun Bagan hold the advantage, having never lost to East Bengal in the ISL. Both clubs have left star forwards on the bench; Mohun Bagan have Dimitri Petratos and Jason Cummings among the substitutes, while East Bengal have not named top-scorer Youssef Ezzejjari in their starting XI. (MATCH CENTRE LIVE)

Here are the LIVE Updates of Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal LIVE Score, straight from Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata:

Conor McGregor poses during a ceremonial weigh in for UFC 264 at T-Mobile Arena on July 09, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Stacy Revere/Getty Images/AFP 

Conor McGregor will return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship Octagon for the first time in five years when he takes on Max Holloway in a non-title rematch on July 11 in Las Vegas, UFC said Saturday.

Ireland’s McGregor, a former two-weight champion and still one of UFC’s most famous and bankable fighters, hasn’t fought since suffering a broken leg in a loss to Dustin Poirier on July 10, 2021.

READ: Conor McGregor suspended 18 months over missed drug tests

July’s return at UFC 329 will be a rematch of his second UFC fight, in August of 2013, when McGregor beat Holloway in Boston despite suffering a torn knee ligament during the bout.

The 37-year-old Dubliner had withdrawn from a planned comeback fight in June of 2024 with a toe injury.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 13: Max Holloway reacts to defating Justin Gaethje in their BMF title fight at T-Mobile Arena on April 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Carmen Mandato/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Carmen Mandato / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

McGregor has dealt with multiple issues outside the Octagon.

In 2024 he was found liable and ordered to pay around $250,000 damages to a woman who accused him of rape in Ireland.

READ: Conor McGregor forced to withdraw from UFC 303 due to broken toe

In December, a woman who accused McGregor of sexually assaulting her at an NBA game in Miami dropped her civil lawsuit against him, authorities having already declined to pursue criminal charges.

A month earlier, McGregor was suspended for 18 months after missing three drug tests in a 12-month period, escaping a longer ban after Combat Sports Anti-Doping said he cooperated with their investigation into the missed tests.

UFC announced the bout during the first MMA promotion by YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions outfit, a card in Los Angeles highlighted by Ronda Rousey’s return against Gina Carano.

Later on Sunday, VikingsTerritory will publish “The Case for Kyler Murray” as the Minnesota Vikings’ QB1 in 2026. This is the sister edition, uplifting why J.J. McCarthy makes the most sense.

Minnesota’s original quarterback plan still has life.

The argument may not be as strong as Murray’s claim to the throne, but some still insist that McCarthy can be “that guy.”

McCarthy’s Best Stretch Offers a Decent Argument

The “why” for McCarthy as Minnesota’s QB1.

Too Soon to Mail It In

The Vikings decided McCarthy was the best option for their franchise just over two years ago. In April 2024, he was their golden boy. Per the typical timeline of quarterback development, now is too soon to quit on the guy. Patience is a virtue. Ask the former employers of Sam Darnold or Baker Mayfield if they would’ve done things differently.

It’s one thing to quit on a franchise quarterback at age 25, 26, or 27. But 23? That’s wildly premature. The Vikings would basically be begging and inviting a different quarterback guru to “fix McCarthy” if they kicked him to the curb.

The Production in December 2025

McCarthy tangibly got better down the stretch of 2025; there’s no denying it. The only caveat is that he faced weaker defenses in December and January.

There are the numbers:

In the season’s first 13 weeks, McCarthy was the NFL’s single-worst quarterback. From Week 14 on, he became the fifth-best passer in the world by the numbers. Should his coaching staff really ignore that?

Youth

McCarthy is 23. Fans should’ve expected roadbumps for the young signal-caller — and roadbumps they got it.

But let’s face it: Kevin O’Connell once said that organizations fail young quarterbacks before young quarterbacks fail organizations. Leaving a third-year player for dead at age 23 would fall victim to the very warning O’Connell issued.

McCarthy has more than enough time to improve his mechanics and become a franchise quarterback. He. Is. 23.

The Locker Room Part Is Down

Vikings right tackle Brian O’Neill recently said about McCarthy, “Even through some of the low points, I mean, we were 4-8 at one point last year. We rattled off five straight. Like, guys believe in him, and guys wanted us to figure it out and be better as an offense. You hear the term ‘lose the locker room.’ He had the locker room more than anybody I’d seen ever.”

“You want to root for him. You want to do well, and you want him to keep taking those next steps. If I was judged after my first 10 games in the NFL, I’m not playing right now. There’s a part of it where he’s still so fresh, and he’s only going to continue to get better,” continued O’Neill. “The whole attitude from us was, ‘How do we go there as an offense together?’”

O’Neill would not make that up. This suggests that McCarthy has the “leader of Men” aspect down.

The 4th Quarter Gene

Some of McCarthy’s brightest moments in 2025 occurred when the game was on the line. Indeed, he would struggle at times until the 4th quarter, which was not ideal, but during contests when nothing would go right, the youngster would find another level and lead his team when it mattered the most.

If he wholly stunk, the clutch moments probably wouldn’t show up.

It’s a sweet starting point to employ the guy who does the hard part first. That is — if the Vikings can figure out how to extract consistency from McCarthy in quarters 1, 2, and 3, he already has the spine for the 4th quarter.

The best evidence for this was Week 1 at the Chicago Bears. McCarthy looked like a raw rookie until the 4th quarter and later turned on the gas. Minnesota won the contest, and McCarthy won NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his troubles.

Sticking to the Plan

Sometimes, teams end up looking silly for quitting on a quarterback too early. The New York Jets look like clowns for drafting the aforementioned Darnold and not empowering him to succeed, especially after Darnold won a Super Bowl seven years later.

The Cleveland Browns are in quarterback hell because they gave up on Mayfield.

It may be a little fear-based, but there’s a case for sticking with McCarthy so the Vikings don’t miss out on an eventually good thing. If the quarterback-whispering head coach can’t whisper to his hand-picked guy, is he really a quarterback whisperer?

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker