Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah watches from the sideline during the NFL International Series matchup on Sep. 28, 2025, at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland, monitoring player performance and roster depth as Minnesota competes abroad while balancing executive evaluation duties in a rare overseas regular-season setting. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
Last month, the Minnesota Vikings fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, 44, after four seasons in charge of the football operation. Although his tenure with the Vikings ended, his NFL career will continue. Rather than taking some time off, he’ll hop immediately into a new front office role with the San Francisco 49ers.
Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribunereported on Tuesday, ” Former Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will return to the San Francisco 49ers, general manager John Lynch told reporters at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday, Feb. 24. Adofo-Mensah will be rehired by the 49ers in a personnel executive role that will be formalized after the NFL draft, Lynch said.”
Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah looks on from the sideline during a matchup with the New York Giants, Dec 21, 2025, as Minnesota continued navigating the latter portion of the season. Adofo-Mensah, hired in 2022, has overseen the franchise’s roster construction and long-term vision following the departure of former general manager Rick Spielman. Mandatory Credit: VikingzFanPage–Twitter
Adofo-Mensah had previously worked for the 49ers in several front office positions. He was the manager of football research & development from 2013-2016 and the director of football research & development between 2017 and 2019.
After his time with the 49ers, he served as the Cleveland Browns’ vice president of football operations, then joined the Vikings in 2022.
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More from Krammer, “Vikings ownership fired Adofo-Mensah on Jan. 30 after four seasons — and just eight months after he signed a multiyear contract extension. He will return to the 49ers, where he began his NFL career as a quantitative analyst in 2013. The move will save the Vikings some money as Adofo-Mensah had offset language in his former Vikings contract, according to a league source.”
Why Adofo-Mensah was fired remains speculative, as the reports went in different directions. One thing is clear: Though the rosters he handed to the coaches were mostly solid, the results in the Draft were, at the very least, underwhelming. In the long run, teams that don’t draft well won’t be in Super Bowl conversations in January.
Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah surveys the field and pregame activity at U.S. Bank Stadium during warmups ahead of a December 8, 2024 matchup in Minneapolis against the Atlanta Falcons, as the organization prepared for another late-season test under the stadium lights with roster stakes looming. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Questions about long-term roster direction, including key quarterback decisions, likely contributed to the organization’s evaluation of his tenure.
Krammer added, “Co-owner Mark Wilf, after Adofo-Mensah’s tenure in Minnesota came to an end, said the Vikings ‘felt a change was necessary’ after judging his ‘body of work’ over four seasons. The team watched quarterback Sam Darnold win a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks earlier this month after leaving the Vikings as a free agent a year ago. Adofo-Mensah’s draft record was also poor. The Vikings might not sign any of his 2022 draft picks to a second contract if wide receiver Jalen Nailor goes elsewhere next month.”
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Most fired head coaches land on their feet, either returning to coordinator ranks or getting hired in the same position elsewhere. With executives, the story is often more complicated. Some are never seen again, others take advisory roles. Many only get one chance to be GMs.
On Adofo-Mensah’s watch, the Vikings went 43-25 in the regular season and 0-2 in the playoffs.
Without him, the Vikings have turned to Rob Brzezinski. Minnesota’s longtime front-office member will lead the organization through free agency and the Draft before the Vikings begin the process of hiring a successor. Brzezinski could also be in the mix for that role.
From a leaguewide perspective, the move to San Francisco is not surprising. Adofo-Mensah built a strong reputation early in his career as an analytically driven executive with a research background, and the 49ers have long valued that type of profile in their front office structure. Returning to a familiar organization also allows him to step into a lower-pressure environment compared to a general manager role while still contributing to roster construction and long-term planning.
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For the 49ers, the hiring represents a low-risk addition of an experienced decision-maker who has led a franchise and understands the demands of modern roster building, contract strategy, and draft evaluation.
Janik Eckardt is a German sports nerd, who likes numbers and stats. He chose the Vikings to be his … More about Janik Eckardt
World football governing body FIFA has ruled out Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala from officiating at the 2026 World Cup.
The decision comes months after his controversial performance in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025, which drew heavy criticism from fans, players, and football officials.
Ndala was at the centre of several disputed calls during the final, with many observers questioning his judgement in key moments of the match. The backlash that followed placed his officiating under intense scrutiny.
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After a detailed review process, FIFA opted to leave the experienced referee out of its list for the global tournament. The body is said to have based its decision on consistency, performance levels, and the need to maintain high refereeing standards on the world stage.
The move signals FIFA’s firm stance on accountability, especially after major competitions where officiating decisions can shape outcomes. It also reflects the growing demand for accuracy and fairness in modern football.
Ndala, once regarded as one of Africa’s top referees, now faces an uncertain future at the highest level, as the fallout from the AFCON final continues to affect his career.
Fury was in the same upbeat mood he has shown all week – making time for fans outside beforehand, laughing and joking with the media, and strolling out to Eminem’s ‘Without Me’ with the line “guess who’s back?” blasting over the speakers.
But the focus soon turned to the scales, with weight a talking point throughout the Morecambe fighter’s career.
He was a career-heaviest 20st 1lb (127.5kg) – although fully clothed – for his rematch with Usyk in December 2024, while during his hiatus from boxing between 2016 and 2018 he ballooned to around 28st (177.8kg) amid personal struggles.
Fury – who has spent his training camp in Pattaya, Thailand – weighed the same as he did for his last fight in the United Kingdom in December 2022 when he beat fellow Briton Derek Chisora.
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“It’s a decent, comfortable, happy weight for Fury. A lot of people thought he’d come in heavier, but that’s a good weight,” said BBC Radio 5 Live boxing pundit Steve Bunce.
“He looks like a man that has been training in the heat for an awful long time.
“He might have been 23 or 24 stone when he started training for this fight. He’s moved a little bit of weight and built it up slowly after his exile. He’s been walking up hills and carrying trees. I love how he looks.”
Makhmudov, though, is one of the few heavyweights capable of matching Fury for sheer physical presence.
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Standing 6ft 6in, the Russian-born, Canada-based fighter – known as ‘The Lion’ – has secured 21 wins in 23 fights, including 19 by knockout, and arrives in London with a reputation as a heavy puncher.
Makhmudov’s most recent victory came against British heavyweight Dave Allen in October 2025.
“I’m ready to go. I can’t wait for tomorrow night to make my dream happen. I’ve waited a long time to get here. It’s my dream and my time,” he said.
After a rough first round at Augusta National Thursday, Bryson DeChambeau did not appear too pleased when he was asked about his 3D-printed 5-iron.
The two-time U.S. Open champion had an eventful first round at the Masters, hitting a patron with a tee shot on the sixth hole before taking three separate bunker shots on the 11th.
After the round, he had to face the media, and he was asked about the process of making his special club other than the driver.
Bryson DeChambeau reacts to his tee shot on the 12th hole during the first round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., April 9, 2026.(Grace Smith/Imagn Images)
DeChambeau said it’s roughly a “day-and-a-half” process to make a club, so when he was asked if he “would want to” go through the process of making another one, it was a hard no.
“Pfft, no. It has to be USGA-conforming. There’s a whole process you have to go through,” he said.
It’s a club he built himself.
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“There’s this nature that I have about myself where innovation is a habit of mine, and I really find and take pride in that ability to learn — even through failure, even through making a bad decision or a good decision — what I can get from that,” he told ESPN.
Bryson DeChambeau hits his tee shot on the 12th hole during the first round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., April 9, 2026.(Eric Gay/AP Photo)
“We’ll see where it goes. We’ll see where it takes me. All I could say now is, if I don’t put them in the bag, it’s my fault now.”
DeChambeau said after the round that he only used the club once on Thursday.
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Last year, DeChambeau was in the final group of the Masters alongside eventual winner Rory McIlroy. The two were paired together to end the prior year’s U.S. Open as well, which DeChambeau won in part due to bad putting by McIlroy and a forever-remembered up-and-down by DeChambeau from the bunker on 18 at Pinehurst No. 2.
But DeChambeau could not find similar success Thursday after shooting a 4-over 76, putting himself in danger of missing the cut.
Bryson DeChambeau acknowledges patrons on the 17th green during the first round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., April 9, 2026.(Michael Madrid/Imagn Images)
Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd (24) grabs a rebound over Phoenix Mercury forward Kathryn Westbeld (24) during Game 3 of the WNBA Finals at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix on Oct. 8, 2025.
Three-time WNBA champion and six-time All-Star guard Jewell Loyd is close to signing a three-year contract with the Las Vegas Aces, ESPN reported on Friday.
Financial terms were not disclosed in the report.
Loyd, 32, played in a career-best 44 games in 2025 during her first season with Las Vegas, averaging 11.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists.
She is averaging 16.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 371 career games (335 starts) with the Seattle Storm and Aces.
Nikola Jokic & Co. are on a league-best 10-game winning streak and have beaten those 10 opponents by an average of 9.7 points a game. The streak includes an overtime victory over the Spurs, which ended San Antonio’s 11-game winning streak. With just two games remaining in the regular season, Denver (52-28) has moved into the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, ahead of the Lakers (51-29) and Rockets (51-29).
After the Nuggets’ recent run, Denver sits in fourth in futures betting for the NBA Finals, at +850 at DraftKings, behind only the Thunder (+120), Spurs (+500) and Celtics (+550).
On Friday the Nuggets will try to keep their momentum rolling when they battle the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder at Ball Arena in Denver. The Nuggets are 11.5-point favorites against Oklahoma City because, according to reports, the Thunder are set to sit up to 10 players, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, among others. Meanwhile, five Denver players are questionable, including Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon.
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Fans interested in wagering on Friday’s games need to check out the latest DraftKings promo code for a great offer.
While Nuggets vs. Thunder is the marquee attraction on Friday, there are other options on a sporting landscape that includes 14 other NBA matchups and a full MLB schedule. Below is a snapshot of what to watch and bet for Friday, April 10. All times Eastern.
NBA best bets, where to watch
Cavaliers at Hawks
Time: 7 p.m. | Location: Atlanta | TV: Prime Video | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
There’s still a small chance that Cleveland catches the Knicks for the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, but the Cavaliers would need to win their last two games while New York would have to lose its last two. So Cleveland has elected to play it safe on Friday by sitting All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill. Barner notes that Evan Mobley should get shot attempts and rebounding opportunities with the absences of Mitchell and Allen. “Even with them on the floor against the Hawks on Wednesday, Mobley finished with 22 points and 19 rebounds,” he says. Meanwhile, the SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every NBA game 10,000 times, says the Cavaliers have a 39.0% chance to win and assigns a B grade to the Cleveland money line (+272).
Thunder at Nuggets
Time: 9 p.m. | Location: Denver | TV: NBA League Pass | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
During its 10-game winning streak, Denver is averaging a robust 128.2 points per 100 possessions. That not only leads the league over that time but also is much better than the Nuggets’ season-long average of 121.1, which also leads the league. Jokic is on track to become the first player to lead the NBA in both rebounds (12.9) and assists (10.9) per game. The playing status for the three-time MVP is worth monitoring, obviously, but the SportsLine Projection Model says Denver has a 67.0% chance to cover against the shorthanded Thunder and gives a B grade to Nuggets -11.5.
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Timberwolves at Rockets
Time: 9:30 p.m. | Location: Houston | TV: Prime Video | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
With just two games remaining in the regular season, the Rockets (51-29) still have something to play for. They are tied in the standings with the Lakers, but because Los Angeles owns the tiebreaker, the Lakers are the No. 4 seed. If the Rockets can catch Los Angeles, which is playing without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, for the fourth spot, they would have home court advantage over the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs. That would be significant since Houston is 29-10 at home this season but just 22-19 on the road. The SportsLine Projection Model says there’s a 65.7% chance the teams combine for 222 points or more and assigns a B grade to Over 221.5.
MLB best bets, where to watch
Angels at Reds
Time: 6:45 p.m. | Location: Cincinnati | TV: Apple TV | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
Cincinnati starter Chase Burns (1-0, 0.82 ERA) is showing the stuff that made him the No. 2 overall pick two years ago. So far this season, the 23-year-old righty has allowed only one run on six hits, while striking out 16 and walking four across 11 innings. According to Baseball Savant, he ranks in the 98th percentile in whiff percentage (44.4) and in the 96th percentile in fastball velocity (98.5). On Friday, he faces an Angels ballclub that already has struck out 142 times this season, the most in all of baseball. The SportsLine Projection Model says there’s a 63.0% chance the Reds win and gives a C grade to the Cincinnati money line (-189).
Giants at Orioles
Time: 7:15 p.m. | Location: Baltimore | TV: Apple TV | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
Traditional baseball statistics suggest that San Francisco starter Landen Roupp has been just OK this season; he is 1-1, with a 4.22 ERA. But according to Baseball Savant the 27-year-old righty ranks in the 90th percentile or better in ground ball percentage (66.7), average exit velocity (82.9) and xERA (2.05). The SportsLine Projection Model says the Giants have a 55.0% chance to win and assigns a B grade to the San Francisco money line (+106).
NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals cruised to a comfortable six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru, thanks to a breathtaking knock by teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Chasing 202, the 15-year-old smashed a stunning 78 off just 26 balls, including seven sixes, helping his team finish the chase in just 18 overs. While most teenagers his age are busy with exams, Sooryavanshi lit up the stadium with fearless hitting, reaching his fifty in just 15 balls.
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Alongside him, Dhruv Jurel played a steady and classy knock of 81 not out, but the spotlight firmly remained on Sooryavanshi’s explosive batting. The duo stitched together a rapid 108-run partnership, taking the game away from RCB in no time.Sooryavanshi took on experienced bowlers like Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar with ease, hitting boundaries and sixes all around the ground. His fearless approach and clean striking left both the bowlers and the crowd stunned. From whipping yorkers into the stands to dominating even tight deliveries, he showed remarkable confidence and skill.This innings further proved that Sooryavanshi is no ordinary youngster. After an impressive debut season, he has come back even stronger, pushing the limits of T20 batting with an incredible strike rate. He is not just following trends but setting new ones, showing that even a 200 strike rate can be surpassed.Earlier, RCB posted 201/8, thanks to a solid 63 from Rajat Patidar and a late boost from Venkatesh Iyer. However, once Sooryavanshi got going, the target looked far from enough.With such performances, the young batter is quickly emerging as one of the most exciting talents in the IPL, and perhaps even knocking loudly on the doors of the national team.Brief scores: Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 201 for 8 in 20 overs (Rajat Patidar 63; Jofra Archer 2/33, Ravi Bishnoi 2/32, Brijesh Sharma 2/37)Rajasthan Royals: 202 for 4 in 18 overs (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 78, Dhruv Jurel 80 not out; Krunal Pandya 2/30, Josh Hazlewood 2/44)
Wolfsburg will invite Eintracht Frankfurt to Volkswagen Arena in the Bundesliga on Saturday. The hosts have five wins and are 17th in the league table. Frankfurt have 10 wins and are seventh in the league standings.
Die Wölfe have endured a poor run of form and are winless in their last 11 games in all competitions. They suffered a second consecutive defeat last week, as they resumed their league campaign after the international break with a 6-3 away loss to Bayer Leverkusen. The Danish trio of Jonas Wind, Joakim Mæhle, and Christian Eriksen scored in the first half, but they conceded four goals after the break.
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Die Adler are winless in their last two games and were held to a 2-2 draw by Koln last week. After a goalless first half, Jonathan Burkardt and Arnaud Kalimuendo scored in quick succession in the second half. Koln scored twice late in the match to level the score.
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Wolfsburg vs Eintracht Frankfurt Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
The two teams have crossed paths 53 times in all competitions. Die Wölfe have the lead in the head-to-head record with 24 wins. The visitors have 11 wins, and 18 games have ended in draws.
They last met in the reverse fixture in November and played out a 1-1 draw.
The hosts have the joint-worst defensive record in the league, conceding 63 goals, 10 more than Eintracht Frankfurt.
Wolfsburg have scored a goal each in their last three meetings against the visitors.
Six of the last nine meetings between the two teams have produced under 2.5 goals.
Die Adler are winless on their travels across all competitions since December.
Only Hamburg have drawn more games (10) in the Bundesliga this season than the visitors (9).
Wolfsburg vs Eintracht Frankfurt Prediction
Die Wölfe have lost five of their last six league games, conceding 17 goals in that period, and will look to improve upon that record. Notably, they have scored in all but one of their last 10 home games.
They have a lengthy absentee list for this match, as Cleiton, Kevin Paredes, Bence Dárdai, Rogério, Jenson Seelt, Kilian Fischer, Jonas Wind, and Marius Müller are injured, and Konstantinos Koulierakis is suspended.
Die Adler have conceded two goals apiece in their last two league games. They have conceded three goals each in four of their last seven away games, which is cause for concern.
Michy Batshuayi, Rasmus Kristensen, Kauã Santos, Nnamdi Collins, and Jean-Mattéo Bahoya remain sidelined for the visitors.
Frankfurt are unbeaten in their last four meetings against the hosts and should make the most of Wolfsburg’s struggles to eke out a win.
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Prediction: Wolfsburg 1-2 Eintracht Frankfurt
Wolfsburg vs Eintracht Frankfurt Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result – Eintracht Frankfurt to win
Tip 2: Goals – Over/Under 2.5 Goals – Over 2.5 goals
Tip 3: Both teams to score – Yes
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Tip 4: At least one goal to be scored in the second half – Yes
Following his retirement, Terence Crawford has made way for new stars to take over his former divisions, with the next 18 months set to be telling as boxing discovers its new pound-for-pound contenders.
Crawford claimed the undisputed super-lightweight world title when he defeated Julius Indongo back in 2017 and replicated the feat up at welterweight six years later with a dominant triumph over Errol Spence Jr.
The Omaha operator then stepped up to super-welterweight, where he dethroned Israil Madrimov upon his 154lb debut to claim the WBA world title, before a shocking jump up to super-middleweight.
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Up at 168lbs, Crawford registered a legacy-defining triumph over then undisputed ruler Canelo Alvarez, which is sure to be spoken of for generations to come. Soon afterwards his retirement was announced, leaving the super-middleweight titles fragmented.
Now, at super-welterweight, it appears as though the champions are ready and willing to fight both the top contenders and one another, with Xander Zayas recently becoming boxing’s youngest unified world champion and then signing for a fight with Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis.
However, on social media, Crawford highlighted the quality of a different super-welterweight world champion, believing that nobody in the division is capable of defeating WBC titleholder Sebastian Fundora.
Remarkably, despite fighting six weight divisions (including bridgerweight) below heavyweight, the appropriately nicknamed ‘Towering Inferno’ is boxing’s tallest active world champion, boasting a 6’5” frame that has proven difficult for his super-welterweight rivals to overcome.
Fundora returned to action last month, claiming a dominant stoppage victory over Keith Thurman to retain his WBC title, and it will certainly be a tough ask for anybody to defeat him. Intriguing future fights include a unification with the winner of Zayas and ‘Boots’.
The 2026 Randox Grand National Festival got underway on Thursday afternoon with an Irish 1-2 in the opening Grade One Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Hurdle.
Mange Tout (Gordon Elliott/Jack Kennedy, 5-1) and Selma De Vary (Willie Mullins/Paul Townend, 9-4 favourite) fought out the finish if the two miles and one furlong contest, with the former prevailing by three-quarters of a length.
Successful trainer Gordon Elliott said of his filly:
“I thought he gave her a great ride. I thought winning or the losing of the race was done from the third-, fourth-last to the turn in. Jack had to ride to settle her – she was very keen at Leopardstown and he rode her to win rather than to settle her there, and it took its toll.
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“It was hard not taking her to Cheltenham, because you want as many bullets as you can have, but now Cheltenham’s over I’m glad we kept her for here. Just the flatter track would suit her and she’s just got a bit of boot. Jack said she didn’t do a stroke in front, she was very idle.
“We thought we’d have her out early in the season for Down Royal – she was very keen there, but she’s a nice mare and she’ll jump a fence as well in time. That will be her for the year now – she’s not the biggest girl in the world.”
Winning jockey Jack Kennedy told ITV Racing:
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“She was good. She can overrace a little bit, but I got a bit of cover on her today.
“She was still a bit keen but not as bad. She’s a big frame of a filly – she’s not small but she’s narrow, and I’d say bypassing Cheltenham helped.”
“She’ll definitely jump a fence and she probably has a bit of filling out to do, so she can be a nice mare.”
While trainer Grahame Begg excels in detailed strategizing, even top-tier arrangements can occasionally unravel.
Begg was confident in his choice of apprentice Logan Bates for Dirty Look aboard in the Saturday Up & Coming Stars Series Final at Caulfield.
Usually a $300,000 affair bars apprentice claims, but as a Class 3, this event welcomes them.
Bates earned a ban at Caulfield the previous Saturday, benching his 1.5kg allowance.
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Jockey availability tightened with the Sydney Autumn Carnival peaking and Adelaide Carnival ramping up.
In a stroke of luck, Begg locked in Harry Coffey to ride Dirty Look Saturday, recalling their prior victory on Nonconformist in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes at Flemington back in 2023.
“I thought I had been very clever,” Begg said.
“I had Logan Bates booked to ride her, and it was a claiming race.
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“People probably didn’t take much notice of that, and she would have got in with 53-½ (kilos) on her back, but he got suspended last Saturday, so that put an end to it.”
The filly approaches Saturday’s race in her fourth appearance, up against battle-hardened foes.
Her maiden win came at Sandown on March 11, followed by second place at Sandown on March 25.
“We’re very happy with how she has progressed,” Begg said.
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“It’s the fourth start of her preparation and after she runs on Saturday, she’ll be going for a break.
“She’s done everything we have asked her to do. She ran very well at her last start on the Sandown Lakeside course, where she drew out and got back, but she hit the line very well in what was a very much leader dominated race.
“She’s been learning her craft, and she looks quite handy and we’re certainly looking forward to Saturday.”
Visit betting sites to find the keenest betting markets for the race at Caulfield.
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