Jockey Jye McNeil suggested that Stakes’ primary challenge is his own temperament, despite the horse’s victory in The Valley @ Caulfield Handicap (1200m) at Caulfield Heath.

Having debuted successfully at Bendigo last month, Stakes clinched The Valley @ Caulfield Handicap (1200m) on Saturday, marking his second win from three starts.

With blinkers fitted for the first time, Stakes ($4.40) edged out the $3.70 favourite Commit by a short head, while Put To The Sword ($14) secured third place a long neck behind.

Prior to his Saturday triumph, Stakes had finished third over 1100m at Caulfield on July 25, between his maiden win and his most recent performance.

“I think they made all the difference,” McNeil stated concerning the blinkers.

“The other day he didn’t participate in the race in the early stages and that put him out of contention.

“Today, he jumped a lot better with the blinkers on, plus we were up 100 metres in distance. We had cover for the first part and then we were stuck in a position three-wide outside the speed.

“He’s still so backward. He lays on the other horses, he was wayward in the straight and I had to go back to hands and heels in the straight to get the best out of him.

“The finished product is probably still a prep away, but he’s got the ability there.”

The Lindsay Park stable, operated by Ben, Will, and J D Hayes, trains Stakes.

J D Hayes commented that the win was a hard-fought effort.

“He’s a horse that has always improved,” Hayes said.

“He had the ultimate gear change as a younger horse and was always one that was going to develop into a lovely three-year-old type.

“Having that fitness under his belt, that told late and it came to the fore there late.”

Hayes indicated that the stable would monitor Stakes’ recovery before determining his next race destination.

“That had a bit more credit to it as he was exposed from a long way out and he’s still not doing things 100 per cent,” Hayes commented.

“He’s a horse with a fair bit of improvement and I’m looking forward to seeing how he pulls up.”

Betting markets for the race are sure to be competitive on horses showing such promise.

While never quite securing the opportunity to do so, a former world champion has claimed that he would have “1000%” knocked out Manny Pacquiao.

The Filipino icon was only stopped three times in his 73-fight Hall of Fame career, with the first two occasions arriving when he was competing down at flyweight.

After suffering a third-round stoppage defeat to Rustico Torrecampo in 1996, when he was just 17 years old, the eventual all-time great encountered the same fate in his WBC title challenge against Boonsai Sangsurat around four years later.

More notably, Pacquiao would eventually get knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012, by which time he had already become an eight-division world champion.

But while ‘Pac Man’ was a typically durable customer throughout his career, Terence Crawford believes he would have become one of the very few to stop him.

The pair were actually in talks to collide in 2020, back when ‘Bud’ held the WBO welterweight title and Pacquiao was the WBA 147lb champion.

As it happened, though, Pacquiao was subsequently scheduled to face Errol Spence Jr in another unification match, only to lose his title to late replacement Yordenis Ugas after ‘The Truth’ pulled out with an injury.

Crawford has therefore told Above The Rim that, had their showdown come to fruition, it would have been him standing triumphant in the opposite corner, but still maintains that the Pacquiao team ‘didn’t want it.’

“That’s the only person I wish I would’ve got the opportunity to fight. [I would’ve] 1000% [knocked him out]. Numerous times, we were lined up to fight each other. They didn’t want it.”

Interestingly enough, Pacquiao has previously said that, while he would have loved to fight Crawford, it always felt as though Top Rank promoter Bob Arum was ‘preserving’ him.

Indian spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule said that skipper Shubman Gill is “very much ready” for the first Test against Sri Lanka, having missed the first two days of the warm-up clash against Sri Lanka XI after a hit on the finger during training. Gill made a return to action during the final day of the warm-up clash, scoring a quick 44 in 54 balls and laying the foundation for an easy 207-run chase for India that will give them plenty of morale ahead of the two-match Test series starting from August 15 at Galle.

Speaking about Gill’s return to action, Bahutule said that keeping him away from the field was “a precaution” and that the batter has been doing “absolutely fine”.

“It was just a precaution more than anything else. And he has been absolutely fine. He has been doing his training. And the management decided that we could just take that precaution of not putting him into that first day (of the practice match). And I think everything, the way he batted in the second inning, was again flawless. He is very much ready for the Test match,” said Bahutule as quoted by Cricinfo.

SL XI won the toss and opted to bat first and declared at 363/8 in the first innings. Ravindu Rasantha (71 in 143 balls, with six fours and a six), Nishan Fernando (66 in 65 balls, with 11 fours and a six) and skipper Sonal Dinusha (52 in 72 balls, with five fours and a six) made half-centuries.

Manav Suthar (2/33), Ravindra Jadeja (2/64) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/76) were the leading bowlers for India. Aqib Nabi, drafted as Jasprit Bumrah’s injury replacement, did not bowl any overs. Meanwhile, Saransh Jain (0/54), who got his first call-up, got some action with the ball.

In response, India lost Yashasvi Jaiswal (0) early, but a 96-run stand between KL Rahul (40 in 67 balls, with five fours and a six) and Devdutt Padikkal helped them get back into the game. Ravindra Jadeja (63 in 117 balls, with seven fours) had a 74-run stand with Padikkal before he retired hurt. Rishabh Pant (2) and Dhruv Jurel (1) were dismissed for poor scores.

Padikkal also had an 82-run stand with Manav Suthar (41 in 90 balls, with five fours and a six) and stood tall when India declared at 357/6, trailing by six runs. Padikkal made a sensational 142* in 164 balls, with 18 fours, at number three. In the lower order, Saransh (22 in 45 balls, with three fours) and Gurnoor Brar (36* in 18 balls, with four sixes) posted handy knocks.

Asanka Manoj (2/32) and Ramesh Mendis (2/77) were the leading bowlers for Sri Lanka XI.

In their second innings, SL XI declared at 200/6, with Nishan Fernando (63 in 73 balls, with 10 fours), Nipun Dhananjaya (46 in 56 balls, with five fours) and Anjala Bandara (35 in 48 balls, with four boundaries and a six) playing handy knocks.

Jadeja (2/33) and Brar (2/37) were among the top wicket-takers for India, with Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna also getting a wicket each. Nabi also got to bowl five overs, conceding 27 runs.

In the chase of 207 runs, Jaiswal (61 in 46 balls, with nine fours and two sixes, retired hurt) put on a 105-run stand with skipper Gill (44 in 54 balls, with seven fours), who made a return to action on the final day.

Pant (28 in 68 balls, with a four and three sixes) and Jadeja (22 in 32 balls, with three fours, retired hurt) played crucial knocks. In the end, Mohammed Siraj (32* in 15 balls, with a four and four sixes) and Saransh Jain (2*) stayed unbeaten as India ended the match at 214/4 in 45 overs.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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New Celtic striker Kasper Hogh delivered a tonic for the recuperating Martin O’Neill with a first-half hat-trick at Kilmarnock in the absence of his manager.

The Dane got off the mark in a Celtic jersey as the champions beat Killie 5-1 on the new grass pitch at Rugby Park to jump above St Mirren on goal difference at the top of the William Hill Premiership.

Shaun Maloney took charge of Celtic as O’Neill rested following an overnight hospital stay in midweek following what the club called a “small procedure”.

The 74-year-old was able to visit his players at the team hotel beforehand and they produced their highest-scoring league performance since beating Aberdeen by the same scoreline in May 2025.

Benjamin Nygren put Celtic four up just after the interval before Michael Schjonning-Larsen netted a consolation for Killie, who created a steady stream of chances in the opening stages, although they were already one down by that point. Luke McCowan finished the rout in the 75th minute.

While Maloney deputised for O’Neill, there was another important figure from Celtic’s history present in Ayrshire. North America-based former owner Fergus McCann, the man who turned around the club’s fortunes off the pitch in the mid-1990s, made a rare appearance at a Celtic game.

Celtic again started with Alistair Johnston and Arne Engels amid respective interest from Everton and West Ham, although the Canada right-back made way for Colby Donovan at half-time.

The game was over by that point and the writing was on the wall for Killie after just 70 seconds when Hogh headed home a left-wing Engels cross from close range.

Killie’s initial response was positive as the game swung from end to end. Aaron Tshibola and Tom Lowery had shots blocked with Celtic scrambling, Erik Ring knocked the ball wide from close range and both Tyreece John-Jules and Greg Kiltie had efforts saved by Viljami Sinisalo.

But Celtic were creating chances throughout. Camilo Duran, Engels and Nygren all threatened twice and Max Stryjek also made saves from Hogh and Kieran Tierney before the visitors doubled their lead in the 33rd minute.

Killie centre-back Johnly Yfeko gifted possession inside his own half and passes from Callum McGregor, Duran and Nygren quickly set up Hogh to finish first time.

The summer signing from Bodo/Glimt completed his hat-trick two minutes later as Celtic again broke quickly after winning the ball back inside their own half. Yfeko charged well out of position and nobody ever picked up Hogh before the Dane nodded Duran’s cross home from close range.

Dozens of Killie fans headed for the exits 100 seconds after the interval when Nygren finished after being gifted the ball by Stryjek. They would not even have been out the stadium by the time Duran hit the crossbar.

Killie manager Neil McCann soon became involved in an argument with a supporter who had stayed behind and matters nearly deteriorated as Hogh, Tierney and Yang all came close.

Schjonning-Larsen finished off a measured passing move in the 56th minute but it proved a brief respite for the hosts.

Hogh headed off the post before substitute McCowan hooked home after a corner and Stryjek kept the score down with stops from Sebastian Tounekti, the hat-trick hero and James Forrest.

Elsewhere, three Hearts summer signings were on target as Wouter Vrancken belatedly got his reign up and running with an emphatic 4-0 win over Dundee United.

Tom Renaud, Calvin Miller and Josh McPake all marked their first league outings at Tynecastle with goals, while last season’s talisman Claudio Braga broke his duck for the campaign, as Vrancken ended a run of four consecutive defeats since taking the reins.

Former Hearts boss Derek McInnes suffered a damaging home debut as Rangers manager with a defeat to Hibernian with star striker Youssef Chermiti carried off the pitch on a stretcher.

Rangers thought they’d salvaged a point when an 85th-minute Miguel Chaiwa own goal cancelled out Josh Campbell opener, only for Callum Wright to fire home a stunning stoppage-time effort to sink the Ibrox club.

Motherwell meanwhile signed off for their Conference League third-round qualifier against HJK Helsinki with a goalless draw against Falkirk.

Cavalry Girl has continued her string of strong performances with an eye-catching victory at Caulfield Heath.

After breaking her maiden at Black Type level in Adelaide last start, Cavalry Girl contested open company on Saturday and dominated her rivals in the Sweeney Estate Agents Handicap (1000m).

Sent out as the $2.80 favourite under Linda Meech, Cavalry Girl showcased a potent turn of foot after straightening, putting the race beyond doubt. She finished 3-¾ lengths clear of Along The River ($5), with Bazaball Reward ($4) a further neck back in third. Observers focused on betting sites would have been impressed by the favourite’s commanding performance.

Joe O’Neill, a principal owner of Cavalry Girl, indicated that discussions would be held with trainer Tom Dabernig to map out the mare’s path towards the spring racing season.

“What we might do is step back,” O’Neill said. “She’s had a pretty good prep, and you can go to the well once too often.”

“She loves the straight at Flemington and to be there during Melbourne Cup week would be nice, but we’ll just see. There are options. There are races in Sydney, there are races here, but I don’t know if Sandown would suit her. She can only do what she is doing, and she is belting them and that was a pretty fair field.”

O’Neill has all but ruled out the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m), to be run at Sandown this year, favouring sprint races down the Flemington straight during Cup week, a track Cavalry Girl has previously performed well at.

Cavalry Girl, a daughter of Bivouac, has now won six of her 16 starts, with four placings and earnings approaching $400,000.

O’Neill described the four-year-old mare as a ‘marvel’.

“She’s a beautiful filly,” O’Neill declared. “I saw Bivouac up at the Hunter Valley on the weekend and I was talking to the boys that she looks like an Exceed And Excel filly, which Bivouac is by, and being from an I Am Invincible mare, and they’re gold. She’s a terrific filly and she annihilated them today. I was a bit worried today against the older horses, but she won well.”

With such a dominant performance, Cavalry Girl is a strong contender for upcoming features, and interested parties can check the racing betting markets for her next start.

Kevin O’Connell is essentially the Statue of Liberty but for NFL passers. “Give me your tired, your poor passers,” the skipper appears to say, “for our Minnesota huddle yearning to throw free.”

Does he sing a similar song following the 2026 season?

Already, some are doing the purple dot connecting. What happens if neither of Kyler Murray nor J.J. McCarthy prove to be the long-term solution under center? Minnesota is desperate for one of these guys to work out but there’s no guarantee. Who could get signed up to become the next bounce back story for Kevin O’Connell?

The Kevin O’Connell QB List for 2027

10 — Joe Burrow, Cincinnati

He’s the dream scenario. The problem is that he’s almost certain to remain in Cincinnati. What could occur is that the Bengals upgrades don’t lead to success in 2026, leading toward the veteran forcing his way out. He and Justin Jefferson remain close.

9 — C.J. Stroud, Houston

Mr. Stroud had a great rookie season but has struggled since then. Houston is being led by DeMeco Ryans, a terrific coach who has built a terrific defense. Does confidence in the young arm disappear if things go poorly again?

8 — Jalen Milroe, Seattle

He got added while Nolan Teasley was still in Seattle. He’s very unlikely to overcome Sam Darnold. Does a trip to Minnesota make sense? Right now, he’s an upside backup behind a passer who could play for another decade.

7 — Bryce Young, Carolina

The former No. 1 selection took a step forward last season. Does he fully establish himself as the Carolina QB1? If not, where does he go?

6 — Justin Fields, Kansas City

Size, athleticism, and resilience. He’s a good leader who is now getting to work under Andy Reid and alongside Patrick Mahomes. He’s going to improve.

5 — Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas

The Vikings could do better. The Vikings could also do worse. What remains to be seen is if he’ll survive in Vegas beyond a single year. Fernando Mendoza is marinating but the Raiders are going to toss him on the grill before long.

4 — Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis

He needs to get healthy and then go from there. Lots of talk about Kevin O’Connell someday working with the former No. 4 selection. Upside.

3 — Will Levis, Tennessee

Tennessee now has Cam Ward, somebody who demonstrated promise as a rookie even though he had very little support. Ward isn’t likely to cede ground. Levis, meanwhile, believes in himself.

2 — Mac Jones, San Francisco

Picking up a point guard would make sense. Jones could be that point guard. He appears to perfectly fit the general criteria as a former 1st-Round selection in the prime of his career and who has been a journeyman. Working in a similar offense in San Francisco is the icing on the cake.

1 — Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay

Prior to settling in with the Buccaneers, Mr. Mayfield spent time with the Rams. He’s far from perfect but he’s an above-average player who carries himself with swagger. Justin Jefferson could feast with Mayfield throwing the ball.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

When Anfield had last hosted Liverpool, as Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson bade farewell and their teammates embarked on their final lap of honour, Arne Slot had remained sat in the dugout. It proved the last sighting of him in Liverpool. Some 11 weeks later, Slot’s successor was a visible presence on the edge of the technical area, Andoni Iraola’s constant clapping encouraging his players at the start of a new era. It began with echoes of the old: a 3-2 defeat to Monaco, with a lead lost at Anfield, and with a goal conceded to a set-piece, had some similarities with Slot’s unravelling, even if the stakes were lower.

Iraola may hope the parallels with last season end when the competitive football starts. As it was, Liverpool outlined why they require Ronald Araujo and how their recruitment is unfinished. They have a left-back – Robertson’s replacement is his former deputy, a returning Kostas Tsimikas making his Anfield comeback – but Salah’s old spot remains unfilled. Lewis Koumas was a locum in the place of a legend on the right flank; the Welsh winger may be destined for a fourth straight loan spell rather than a run in the team.

His presence was an illustration that Liverpool’s business stalled after the June signing of Victor Munoz. They are yet to achieve their main objective. One ambitious target, Yan Diomande, has already eluded them. Another is out of reach as long as there is a significant difference between Liverpool’s valuation of Bradley Barcola and Paris Saint-Germain’s. There is no point in putting in a bid now when the European champions want well over £100m.

Liverpool have shown a willingness to pay such sums in the past; but their budget is limited now. Their two £100m men from 2025 struck in a way that at least offered optimism they will deliver more this season than last.

Alexander Isak only found the net twice at Anfield in his debut campaign for Liverpool; a friendly goal will not count towards his official tally but was guided in after a pass from Ryan Gravenberch. Isak and Florian Wirtz struck in the same game, which they only did once for Slot. The German got a poacher’s goal, bundling the ball over the line after Cody Gakpo’s header was blocked. If Wirtz alternated between central and wide roles under Slot, Iraola has installed him as his No 10.

There seems a clarity to that and a more vertical brand of football after the passiveness of Slotball irritated Anfield. Distinct differences were apparent in Iraola’s home bow. It was notable that the full-backs were often far more advanced than Gravenberch. That may suit Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, though the latter did not start against Monaco, more than Slot’s style of football did. Yet it also gives a need for centre-backs who can defend one on one.

And, as Liverpool turned victory into defeat, they underlined why the middle of the defence has been the other focus of their recruitment drive, and why additions are necessary. Araujo is undergoing a medical before he completes his surprise loan from Barcelona. Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni, the youngsters who arrived for a combined fee of almost £100m, are yet to play in pre-season; Joe Gomez is already injured.

Virgil van Dijk, in his first appearance since the World Cup, could be forgiven for rustiness when he tripped Aleksandr Golovin to concede a penalty the Russian converted himself. Wataru Endo, who spent the second half at centre-back, and Frimpong were both partly culpable when Mika Biereth levelled the scores.

Endo had come on for the great success of Liverpool’s tour of the United States. The giant Ifeanyi Ndukwe excelled again in the first half. The problem is that he is ineligible for competitive games, lacking a work permit, perhaps meaning a loan abroad beckons. In the Austrian and the Senegalese Mor Talla Ndiaye, Liverpool have two precocious 18-year-olds. Their defensive future can look secure. The concerns are about the present.

Araujo will tick some boxes; at 27, he is roughly halfway between Van Dijk and the duo of the 19-year-old Leoni and Jacquet, 21, in age and, unlike Gomez, is fit now. Liverpool need a bridge to the next generation. They hoped it would be Ibrahima Konate, but he wanted a financial package that could have felt a problem if, in a couple of years, he found himself understudying Leoni and Jacquet; or, indeed, Ndukwe.

Konate left without a proper goodbye. Harvey Elliott, who could have been gone for good, returned from his unproductive loan at Aston Villa to the loudest cheer of the afternoon. It may not herald a second coming at Anfield, however: he was the third man used at No 10, after Wirtz and then Dominik Szoboszlai, who had begun in midfield.

Even as he made 11 substitutions, there were other glimpses into Iraola’s thinking. Rio Ngumoha ended the game on the right flank. He may have to step into Salah’s shoes in more meaningful matches.