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Maher sends Unit Five into 2026 Blue Diamond Stakes fray

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Unit Five wrote himself into the history books with a victory in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic during his second race, and Ciaron Maher holds strong belief that the unbeaten colt can forge ahead further this weekend at Caulfield.

The Supido offspring leads Maher’s three-pronged bid for the $2 million Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes, with Ghana’s Akan and Milsons Point also in the mix.

Post the January 17 Gold Coast success, Maher passed on an extra race for Unit Five, as no horse has transitioned directly from the Magic Millions 2YO Classic to win the Diamond, though Maher anticipates success for his runner following a third-place finish in last Monday’s Cranbourne trial dominated by Milsons Point.

“He trialled well and he seems very similar,” Maher said.

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“He’s a very similar weight, travelled down well and seems in similar order. I can’t fault him, really, he’s a very straightforward horse.

“I think he’ll run to that (Gold Coast run) and possibly better given it’s only his third run.

“I like the fact that his runs have been spaced and he’s fresh. It worked going into that (Gold Coast) race and I think it’ll work going into this race.”

Before heading to the Gold Coast, Unit Five dominated the $250,000 Magic Millions Victorian 2YO Classic at Caulfield back on December 20.

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He’s quoted at $7 for the Blue Diamond, following the pair Big Sky and Guest House prepared by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, and the fresh Blue Diamond Prelude conqueror Closer To Free.

Milsons Point, who was second last out in the Blue Diamond Preview, trades at $34, yet Maher approved of the Blue Point son’s trial display and foresees improvement over 1200m for his debut beyond 1000m.

“I think the 1200 will really suit him, he was looking for the 12 the other day, he was there to win the race but just didn’t have that turn of foot over 1000,” Maher said.

“I think the 1200 it will be a different story.”

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Echoing Unit Five’s path, Ghana’s Akan returns from an interstate slot in a premium sales-restricted contest, second in the $2 million Inglis Millennium (1100m) on February 7 after three runs in five weeks, with Maher satisfied by the Street Boss filly’s condition.

“She has been busy, but she’s also fit and well and sound,” he said.

“She doesn’t need to do any work. She’s been busy, she’s been travelling, so you’re just backing off and you don’t mind doing that with two-year-olds.”

Ethan Brown partners Ghana’s Akan initially on Saturday, Ben Allen stays on Milsons Point, and Tom Stockdale maintains his link with Unit Five. Fans should visit the leading online bookmakers for the Blue Diamond Stakes.

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The post Unit Five leads Maher Blue Diamond Stakes assault first appeared on Just Horse Racing.

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Virgil van Dijk makes revealing admission over Liverpool’s season after FA Cup defeat: ‘It’s mentally very tough’

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Virgil van Dijk has admitted it is “mentally very tough” for Liverpool after they were knocked out of the FA Cup as Manchester City thrashed them 4-0.

Liverpool go to Paris Saint-Germain for the Champions League quarter-final first leg this week with captain Van Dijk saying it will be hard to rouse them after they were left “very disappointed” by their poor display at the Etihad Stadium.

It was Liverpool’s 15th defeat of the campaign in all competitions and a downcast Van Dijk said that three-quarters of their season has been like this.

Asked if it was one of Liverpool’s most disappointing results and performances, he replied: “We’ve had a couple already this season. It’s mentally very tough at the moment, I must say.

“I’ve been there already many times this season when I’ve had hope and then we couldn’t build on performances. Today our second half, the intensity we didn’t match, the challenges we didn’t win, it was tough. To lose then 4-0 is tough.

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“I am trying to think how we can turn it around but we have been going through this for almost 75 percent of the season. It definitely hurts me. So the focus is now on Paris away, but it’s tough. It will be a tough Sunday to digest it.”

Many of the Liverpool supporters left the Etihad Stadium long before the final whistle and Van Dijk did not blame them as he said sorry to them.

He added: “The fans were there to support us and I can only apologise to the fans for what we have shown, especially the second. I can understand the fans’ frustration as well.”

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Is the Championship heading for financial ‘catastrophe’?

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Four of the ever-present Championship sides since 2020-21 are also among the top six current second-tier clubs hardest hit by losses.

Bristol City (£111m), Preston (£84.4m), QPR (£82.9m) and Middlesbrough (£80.4m) have all failed to record a profit for five consecutive seasons – as have Derby, Millwall, Oxford, Portsmouth and Swansea.

Coventry City, who are on course to win promotion to the Premier League this season, have lost £29.5m in the past five years, while Ipswich Town are down £72.4m.

Maguire likened Championship owners striving for the top flight to “buying a EuroMillions ticket” with clubs chasing a TV deal worth £106m plus parachute payments in the Premier League compared to £12m in the second tier.

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“If I’m a Championship owner, I know at the start of the season, in theory, I’ve got a one in eight chance of getting promoted,” he said, which is in turn causing owners to “act like the the bank of mum and dad”.

“They hand over money effectively unquestioningly, which is nominally a loan, but both parties know there is no chance of repayment.

“The owner of Stoke wrote off £90m, the Hemmings family in Preston put in £1m a month.

“And that now becomes the norm.”

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RCB vs CSK LIVE Score, IPL 2026: Virat Kohli Out After Breaking Own Record, RCB One Down vs CSK

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru Squad: Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar(c), Jitesh Sharma(w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhinandan Singh, Jacob Duffy, Suyash Sharma, Jacob Bethell, Rasikh Salam Dar, Kanishk Chouhan, Venkatesh Iyer, Josh Hazlewood, Mangesh Yadav, Vihaan Malhotra, Vicky Ostwal, Jordan Cox, Swapnil Singh, Satvik Deswal

Chennai Super Kings Squad: Sanju Samson(w), Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Ayush Mhatre, Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Matt Henry, Khaleel Ahmed, Jamie Overton, Rahul Chahar, Matthew Short, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Gurjapneet Singh, Akeal Hosein, MS Dhoni, Shreyas Gopal, Spencer Johnson, Mukesh Choudhary, Urvil Patel, Aman Khan, Dewald Brevis, Zakary Foulkes.

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How to watch Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper – TV channel, live stream and ring walk time

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How to watch Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper – TV channel, live stream and ring walk time – Manchester Evening News