The strategic advantage of the Hawkes family’s dual-state racing operation was clearly demonstrated at Flemington’s Finals Day meeting this past Saturday, where the father-and-sons training team clinched the $175,000 Taj Rossi Series Final with their impressive galloper, Marwooba.

The son of Wootton Bassett, conditioned by John, Wayne, and Michael Hawkes, achieved a Listed victory over 1600 metres, building on a previous win at Rosehill on June 13.

This marked a successful return to Victoria for the gelding, who had been sent to Sydney after a disappointing last-place finish, 30 lengths off the winner, at Geelong in his seasonal debut. Wayne Hawkes commented on the benefit derived from the more favourable weather conditions in New South Wales during this time of year.

“He only got here yesterday and his coat looked amazing,” Hawkes, who supervises their Flemington stable, remarked. “The Sydney horses just look so much better than the Melbourne horses, just because of the weather. There’s nothing anyone could do about that, but he just got off the float and he had a pig-root and was pretty happy with himself.”

Marwooba capitalised on an economical run under the expert handling of Melbourne’s leading rider, Craig Williams, to finish ahead of the $2.70 favourite, Star Of Macedon.

Williams positioned Marwooba off the pace, found an opening down the centre of the straight midway, and unleashed a potent acceleration to forge a race-winning lead. The $3.20 second elect secured victory by half a length, with Ko Phangan ($7) finishing a further three-quarters of a length behind Star Of Macedon in third place.

The win secured Williams his second juvenile race victory of the day, having earlier guided the $2 favourite Stars Of Dom to win the $150,000 Next Generation Sprinters Series Final (1200m).

Hawkes indicated that the stable’s attention would now turn to the spring racing season with Marwooba. The Group 2 Bill Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Caulfield on September 27 is a potential target, with a view towards the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes in Sydney.

“We’re very happy to be here in the depths of winter winning a race in July, (he’ll go) back to Sydney and have three weeks off probably, then come back into work and he might end up in a Spring Champion (Stakes). There are plenty of options for him.”

With Marwooba’s spring targets in sight, punters can find competitive racing odds at various betting sites.

With 12 minutes of normal time remaining Egypt stood on the cusp of their greatest ever World Cup result.

The Pharaohs led Argentina, the reigning world champions, 2-0 in Atlanta Stadium.

A quarter-final spot – their first – beckoned for the football-mad African country.

Then it went wrong. Horribly wrong.

When Cristian Romero reduced the deficit in the 79th minute, it was a case of Egypt digging in. But they looked panic-stricken when captain Lionel Messi – who else? – made it 2-2 four minutes later.

Enzo Fernandez then completed a remarkable turnaround with a header in the second minute of stoppage-time.

Egypt were down and out – and downright furious after the video assistant referee (VAR) ruled out a second goal by Mostafa Zico for a foul after midfielder Marwan Attia was penalised for slightly stepping on Lisandro Martinez at the start of the move, when they were leading 1-0.

They were also adamant Mohamed Salah was fouled in Argentina’s penalty area, seconds before the reigning champions broke for the winner.

“There is so much inconsistency at the moment with VAR and decisions and how far you go back to pull a decision,” Egyptian football expert Ahmad Yousef told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“There was such a long distance that had gone by and the foul was so minimal so I completely understand why the Egyptian coaching staff and squad are so disappointed.”

When French referee Francois Letexier signalled full-time, many of Egypt’s players slumped to the floor in disbelief at what had just happened.

Salah swapped shirts with his former Liverpool team-mate Alexis MacAllister before walking off the pitch with his head bowed, while other players stood shaking their heads.

“There were so many subplots and stories to this game,” said former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who was in the ground working for BBC Radio 5 Live.

This match had everything – a penalty save, a disallowed goal, a red card as well as a thrilling comeback.

BBC Sport unpicks a game that will go down in World Cup history for featuring a team who were two goals down so late on, but who went on to win without needing extra time.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi celebrates scoring their second goal during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Argentina and Egypt in Atlanta. (AP Photo)

He already had the goals record. He already had the appearances record. On Tuesday night in Atlanta, Lionel Messi took the assists record too.After Argentina’s remarkable comeback win against Egypt in the Round of 16, Messi recorded his ninth career World Cup assist, giving him the most assists in World Cup history, surpassing Argentine legend Diego Maradona, who previously held the record with eight.The record-breaking assist arrived in the most dramatic of circumstances. Argentina were trailing Egypt 2-0 when Messi found Cristian Romero in the box, and the centre-back headed home to pull one back and begin one of the great World Cup comebacks. Messi then scored himself in the 83rd minute with a stunning volley from inside the box, before Enzo Fernández completed the turnaround in stoppage time. Argentina won 3-2, and Messi had touched the game in every way imaginable – record assist, crucial goal, match-winning influence.Messi’s ninth assist gives him the most in World Cup history, with the record previously shared between himself and Maradona at eight apiece.Croatia’s Ivan Perisic was trailing with six assists, but Croatia were eliminated by Portugal in the Round of 16, meaning the record now looks entirely safe.The numbers keep coming and they keep defying belief. Messi now has 12 career goal contributions in the FIFA World Cup knockout stage, six goals and six assists, passing both Pelé and Kylian Mbappé for the most in the last 60 years on record. He has also become the first player in FIFA World Cup history to score in eight consecutive appearances.Messi had reached 30 World Cup appearances across six tournaments, the most in history by any player, male or female, at a single World Cup.At 39 years of age. At his sixth and final World Cup. In a tournament with a larger field and longer travel map than any edition before it.Maradona set the assists record. Klose set the goals record. Marta held the overall scoring record. One by one, Messi has taken them all. The record books at this World Cup belong entirely to one man and on Tuesday night in Atlanta, he reminded the world exactly why.

Who predicted British wildcard Arthur Fery would be a Wimbledon quarter-finalist this year? Not even the man himself.

Fery, ranked 114th in the world, illustrated that when he explicitly mouthed his surprise after beating Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov in the last 16.

Now the 23-year-old will aim to reach the semi-finals when he plays Italian ninth seed Flavio Cobolli on Wednesday.

Cobolli, 24, was the runner-up at last month’s French Open and, after becoming a Wimbledon quarter-finalist last year, has showed again he can excel on grass.

“Arthur still starts as the underdog given the difference in ranking and top-level experience,” said BBC Sport analyst Jamie Murray.

“But he has proven to be a great grass-court player and poses a lot of different questions to opponents.”

Before the Centre Court contest, BBC Sport examines how Fery could beat Cobolli and become only the fifth British man to reach the Wimbledon last four since 1968.

Remember Patrick Peterson? The cornerback who stopped by the Minnesota Vikings for two seasons? He’s a former teammate of Kyler Murray, and for the most part, Peterson believes Murray will work out in Minnesota.

The Vikings signed Murray in March after the Arizona Cardinals kicked him out. Peterson thinks that’ll work out for Murray and the Vikings.

Peterson Sees a Clean Setup for Murray

Peterson on Murray

Peterson recently chatted with D.J. Siddiqi and opened up about Murray: “I am happy for Kyler Murray for the situation that he’s in right now, how he’s going to be able to play with a top-five defense, how he’s going to be able to play with a consistent No. 1 receiver, how he’s going to have a balanced offense.”

“Everything is not really going to be upon his shoulders. I think he’s in a great, phenomenal situation now. I believe Murray will win the starting job just because he’s a proven quarterback. He’s a guy who’s a Pro Bowler in this league, a former first pick in this league, and we know those guys can hold on to that car for a long, long time.”

Peterson and Murray crossed paths in the desert for two seasons.

“J.J. McCarthy is a first-round pick as well, but the number one pick carries a little bit more weight, and I just feel like Kyler Murray is more proven,” Peterson added.

Best Situation to Date in His Career

Murray may also benefit from his best team setup to date. He’s never quite had a defense like Brian Flores’s; in addition, his new playmakers, including Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings, T.J. Hockenson, Aaron Jones, and Jordan Mason, should make his job easy.

Peterson commented on that, too: “This is the best situation that he’s going to be in thus far throughout his career. In Arizona, we had solid teams, but we didn’t have teams that can win right now, and Minnesota has a team that can win right now. What they were missing last year was a quarterback. J.J. wasn’t healthy; they had to go through two other quarterbacks. Carson Wentz ended up getting hurt, and the other quarterback threw four interceptions in one game.”

“The defense was pretty much keeping them afloat. Now they just feel like they need a quarterback that’s going to be able to manage them, manage the game, put them in the best position possible, and Kyler Murray, in my opinion, picked the right team for that. Now it’s going to be upon him to be the best player that he can be to revitalize his career.”

If there’s a place for Murray to rekindle his career, it’s Minnesota. The situation is fantastic.

Just Follow the Blueprint of Sam Darnold?

Meanwhile, if Murray wants to find success, all he has to do is turn on some tape of the 2024 Vikings, led by Darnold.

Minnesota finished 14-3 that season, with Darnold under center almost 100% of the time. Darnold fed his playmakers, let the defense do its thing, and closed out games in the 4th Quarter. Life was good — until Darnold vaporized in the season’s two most vital games: at Detroit in Week 18 and in the playoffs against the Los Angeles Rams.

Murray blasting off in Minnesota won’t be unprecedented, but if he does, the Vikings will have the opportunity to keep him, unlike letting Darnold walk in 2025.

Must Win the Battle First

Projecting Murray’s stats and success might be premature. Peterson appears to have already crowned him, but Murray must win the summer competition against McCarthy, who won’t go quietly into the night. Last offseason, the Vikings handed McCarthy the job without serious compeition, and a playoff-less season ensued. This time, they signed Murray, and he’s in town to battle McCarthy at training camp and in the preseason.

The odds suggest Murray will win handily — he’s a -770 monelyine favorite — but Minnesota has a vested interest in McCarthy succeeding, drafting him in 2024 as their sole solution at quarterback for the future. When training camp kicks off in three weeks, Murray must earn the QB1 job, and that process will likely take longer than a day or two.

Then, Murray must remain upright and healthy. Sadly, he’s missed about a quarter of all games in his career due to injury. He’s played a full season twice. If Murray gets hurt, McCarthy will be salivating to fill in and never relinquish the job.

Yet, if Murray plays all 17 games, Peterson believes he’ll stick in Minnesota.

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

Arsenal make Morgan Rogers their main target, Liverpool interested in Mexico teenager and Everton eye England defender Spence.

Arsenal have made 23-year-old midfielder Morgan Rogers their top target and want to sign the England international from Aston Villa (The Athletic, external).

Liverpool have enquired about the possibility of signing 17-year-old Mexico midfielder Gilberto Mora from Club Tijuana (El Universal, external).

Everton want to sign 25-year-old England defender Djed Spence from Tottenham (The Athletic, external).

Tottenham are lining up an £85 million bid to sign 19-year-old France forward Junior Kroupi from Bournemouth (TalkSport, external).

Inter Miami want to sign 40-year-old Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha after he was released by Portuguese second-division side Chaves. (Marca, external).

Chelsea are preparing to offer 18-year-old English midfielder Jesse Derry a new contract to fend off interest from Bayern Munich (Football Insider), external.

Newly-promoted Ipswich Town want to seal a club-record signing of 21-year-old Brazil forward Emersonn from Toulouse. (Give Me Sport), external.

Paris St-Germain have started talks to sign 24-year-old France midfielder Maghnes Akliouche from AS Monaco (RMC Sport, external).

The USA-Belgium game made history.

The USA’s 4-1 loss to Belgium in the Round of 16 on Monday night in Seattle set a viewership record, drawing 30 million viewers and becoming the most-watched soccer telecast in U.S. history.

The peak audience was 36.895 million, from 9:15 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. ET.

WATCH THE WORLD CUP FINAL ON FOX ONE

Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku (9) kicks the ball past the United States’ Chris Richards (3) to score his team’s fourth goal during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between the United States and Belgium in Seattle, Washington. Monday, July 6, 2026. (Lindsey Wasson/AP Photo)

The USMNT unfortunately did not deliver for the massive audience, as their run came to a close in disheartening fashion. Despite Folarin Balogun’s suspension being overturned, the USMNT could not muster enough offense.

Belgium took advantage of the USMNT defensive mistakes, as Charles De Ketelaere opened the scoring just nine minutes into the match after a defensive breakdown gave Belgium an early lead.

Malik Tillman, who scored on a free kick against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32, worked his magic again on another free kick to tie the score at 1-1 in the 31st minute. Tillman’s shot deflected off a defender and found its way into the back of the net, sending the vociferous Seattle crowd into a frenzy.

The raucous cheers were short-lived, however, as De Ketelaere scored his second goal shortly after in the 33rd minute to put Belgium back on top, 2-1.

FOX ONE’S NEW WORLD CUP VIEWING EXPERIENCE

Belgium’s Charles De Ketelaere (17) celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between the United States and Belgium in Seattle, Washington. Monday, July 6, 2026. (Maddy Grassy/AP Photo)

The USMNT came out after halftime applying pressure to Belgium, but goalie Matt Freese made a critical mistake that dashed any hopes of a comeback. In the 57th minute, Freese came out of his net to challenge De Ketelaere on a through ball.

While Freese arrived first, he could not clear the ball as his foot got caught in the turf. Hans Vanaken seized the opportunity and booted the ball past Freese and a sprawling Tim Ream to give Belgium a 3-1 lead.

The USMNT had a couple of opportunities to add another tally and cut the deficit to one, but could not get on the board as they were stifled by Belgium’s defense.

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The United States’ Folarin Balogun (20) walks off the pitch after losing to Belgium during their World Cup round of 16 soccer match in Seattle, Washington. Monday, July 6, 2026. (Ted S. Warren/AP Photo)

Belgium substituted in superstar striker, Romelu Lukaku, and he put the exclamation point on the victory with a goal in stoppage time.

Despite the loss, the USMNT’s captured America’s heart and attention over the past few weeks, with the country’s support reflected in the historic ratings.

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