Proxima Dea has ascended to favouritism for the upcoming VRC Oaks after maintaining her perfect race record by defeating more seasoned competitors in the Midway Handicap (1800m) at Rosehill Gardens this past Saturday.

The race produced a thrilling conclusion, with the swift galloper Doradus building a considerable six-length lead as the field entered the straight, only for Proxima Dea to eventually catch the front-runner in the closing stages.

Leading trainer David Payne has indicated his intention to prepare his promising filly for the Oaks at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Week festivities in early November.

“This filly has a lot of upside and will stay all day,” Payne commented.

“She’s very promising and I want to get her to the Oaks in the spring, that’s her main mission.

“I’ll give her 10 days in the paddock now to freshen her up as she’s very fit.

“I might look at a race like the Gloaming Stakes for her and then decide whether we stay in Sydney or send her straight to Melbourne for the Oaks.”

Proxima Dea, priced at $4, recorded her third win from as many starts in her debut racing preparation, closing strongly to defeat Doradus ($3.40) by a short head, with Prefer Diamonds ($51) a further half-neck adrift in third position.

The highly competent apprentice jockey Braith Nock piloted Proxima Dea with considerable skill, remaining composed when Doradus established a significant lead.

“I was happy enough with the run that we had,” Nock stated.

“It was a fast tempo and she was a little out of her comfort zone just to stay in touch so I didn’t want to go for her too soon.

“But when the pressure went on, she was tough right to the end.”

Proxima Dea has firmed in the betting to $8, sharing top billing with Miss Chanel for the prestigious Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on November 5.

Further afield, there are significant racing ambitions for the emerging talent Zalique, who managed to overcome a wide barrier to prove superior to his rivals in the TAB Highway (1400m).

Guided by an aggressive ride from champion jockey Tommy Berry, Zalique ($4.40 favourite) advanced from his wide draw to sit outside the early pace-setters before drawing clear to win by one-and-a-quarter lengths from Giddy Up Griff ($6), with Xtreme ($5.50) finishing a close third.

Trainer Matt Dunn, who was not present but spoke with Racing And Sports following the race, expressed a positive view of the developing Zalique, who has now achieved three consecutive wins this preparation from just five career starts.

“He’s only lightly-raced and still learning but he’s a promising horse,” Dunn conveyed.

“I would think he’s an ideal type for the Country Championships next autumn but I wouldn’t rule out having a look at The Kosciuszko (Everest Day, October 17).

“He puts himself into a race early, gets up on speed and gives himself every chance. He’s certainly racing in very good form.”

Get the best racing odds from leading bookmakers for the VRC Oaks.

Elijah Moore entered Philadelphia Eagles training camp as part of a crowded wide receiver competition. He emerged with a roster spot by doing exactly what was asked of him.

“All he really did was make plays,” general manager Howie Roseman said after the Eagles formed their initial 53-man roster. “He catches everything.”

Moore joins DeVonta Smith, Hollywood Brown, Dontayvion Wicks, first-round pick Makai Lemon and Darius Cooper in Philadelphia’s six-player receiving corps. Britain Covey was released during final cuts but returned on the practice squad. The Eagles signed Moore after he spent part of the 2025 season with Denver. The former second-round pick brought experience and inside-outside versatility to a group undergoing significant changes behind Smith. Roster numbers worked against several other candidates, including Covey, Quez Watkins, Danny Gray, Erik Ezukanma and Samari Toure. Moore separated himself through reliability rather than one spectacular preseason performance.

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That distinction matters in Sean Mannion’s offense. Jalen Hurts needs receivers who will be in the right place, create separation, and secure the football when their opportunities arise. Moore demonstrated those qualities consistently during practices. Making the roster does not guarantee Moore a significant offensive role. Smith, Brown and Wicks entered the summer ahead of him, while the Eagles invested a first-round selection in Lemon.

Moore nevertheless gives Philadelphia an experienced option who can contribute from the slot or outside. His ability to provide dependable depth became even more valuable after Lemon missed practice time with a hamstring injury. According to Roseman, Moore’s roster argument ultimately became straightforward: When the Eagles gave him an opportunity, he made the play.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Howie Roseman explains why Elijah Moore made the Eagles roster

Since leaving Manchester United, Scott McTominay has been a revelation for Napoli in Serie A

Former Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay will undergo surgery on a heart issue, Napoli have confirmed. The Scotland international will go under the knife for a corrective procedure following the onset of a mild, benign arrthymia.

The 29-year-old is set for surgery in the coming days but will be available after the international break in September for the Italian giants. Sky Sports Italia have reported that the condition can occur in athletes for various reasons but it will not affect his career.

A benign arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm where your heart beats out of its normal pattern but it is not dangerous. According to the NHS, the beat can be too fast or slow or not be steady but some of the symptoms can be palpitations, shortness of breath, lightheaded or dizziness and chest pain or discomfort.

The surgery tends to be minimally invasive and uses specialised energy to neutralise the heart tissue triggering the irregular heartbeat.

The 29-year-old has played in each of Napoli’s opening two Serie A matches against Genoa and Como, where he was brought off before the hour-mark against Cesc Fabregas’ Como.

McTominay is among the trailblazers for English and Scottish footballers to enjoy success outside of the Premier League.

Since leaving Manchester United, the Scot has established himself as a key player for club and country, becoming a driving force in the sucess for Napoli and the Tartan Army.

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The 29-year-old has scored 27 goals in 82 appearances, contributing 10 assists. His efforts during Napoli’s Scudetto-winning campaign in 2025 saw him earn a place among the list of esteemed footballers to win the Serie A footballer of the year.

In December 2024, he highlighted the difficulty that he faced when making the decision to leave Old Trafford. He told BBC Scotland: “It was a big decision, but in some ways it was quite straightforward.

“I saw the passionate fans, I saw the coach, I saw the players and I saw an opportunity.

“I took it. I didn’t look back. It didn’t take me long to make the decision because I knew that was what I wanted and I’ll never have any regrets in my life.

“As soon as I put my mind to something I want to do it, that’s it. There’s no holding me back.”

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College football is back with its first full weekend of action as the Week 1 schedule unfolds beginning on Thursday. There’s at least one FBS matchup every day from Thursday through Labor Day Monday, with a majority of the action coming on Saturday. Clemson vs. LSU and Auburn vs. Baylor are some of the notable matchups that day. Ole Miss vs. Louisville and Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame are among the Sunday matchups, while SMU vs. Florida State gets a standalone spot on Monday. Visit our DraftKings promo code review and get $200 in bonus bets as a new user after $5+ in wagers here:

The latest Week 1 college football lines have LSU as a 10-point favorite against Clemson, while Ole Miss -7 against Louisville in the only ranked-on-ranked matchup of the week. Before locking in any Week 1college football picks, be sure to see the latest college football score predictions from SportsLine’s proven model.

The model simulates every FBS game 10,000 times. It is on a 32-19 run on top-rated CFB money-line picks since the 2024 season, and it has been upgraded for the 2026 season to even better factor in the transfer portal. Anybody following its college football betting picks at sportsbooks and on betting sites could have seen strong returns. 

Now, it has turned its attention to the latest college football odds for Week 1 and locked in picks for every FBS matchup. Head here to see every pick.

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Top college football score predictions for Week 1

One college football score prediction for the Week 1 college football schedule: The model projects that Penn State beats Marshall 39-11 in Matt Campbell’s debut for the Nittany Lions. That makes Penn State (-24.5) the better value against the spread, and the Under the pick for the total, which is at 52.5. 

Campbell comes to Happy Valley after an impressive run at Iowa State. He brought a good chunk of that roster with him as well with a couple dozen Cyclones coming to Penn State via the transfer portal, including quarterback Rocco Becht. More than half the roster, in fact, is a product of the portal as many outgoing players followed James Franklin to Virginia Tech or defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to Tennessee. 

Marshall, meanwhile, is coming off a rare down as season as the Thundering Herd went 5-7 last season. They have plenty of questions on the offensive line and on defense in general, so the model is projecting this game to be relatively lopsided given the overall talent edge for the Nittany Lions. See the model’s score predictions for every other matchup here.

College football best bets for Week 1

The model has also made the call on the exact score prediction fro each Week 1 college football game, including an underdog that it says will win outright. You can only get every pick for every game at SportsLine.

So what is the exact projected score for each game, and which underdog pulls off a shocking upset? Check out the latest college football odds below, then visit SportsLine to see which teams win and cover the spread, all from a proven computer model that is on a 32-19 run, and find out.

College football lines for Week 1 notable games

See full Week 1 college football picks, odds, predictions here

Thursday, Sep. 3
UMass at Rutgers (-28.5, 51.5)
Colorado at Georgia Tech (-6.5, 50.5)

Friday, Sep. 4
UTEP at Oklahoma (-41.5, 50.5)
Miami at Stanford (-24.5, 47.5)

Saturday, Sep. 5
North Texas at Indiana (-40.5, 55.5)
Ball State at Ohio State (-50.5, 56.5)
Boise State at Oregon (-24.5, 51.5)
Marshall at Penn State (-24.5, 52.5)
Texas State at Texas (-29.5, 59.5)
Baylor vs. Auburn (-7.5, 58.5)
Clemson at LSU (-10.5, 50.5)
UCLA at California (-1.5, 53.5)

Sunday, Sep. 6
Washington vs. Washington State (+23.5, 50.5)
Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame (-20.5, 47.5)
Louisville vs. Ole Miss (-7, 55.5)

Monday, Sep. 7
SMU at Florida State (+3, 53.5)

Arsenal’s new midfielder Bruno Guimaraes said he is excited about starting a new chapter at the club and wants to win trophies and make history with the Premier League side. According to Sky Sports, Arsenal signed Guimaraes from Newcastle in a Euro 75 million transfer last month. Speaking on JioHotstar, Guimaraes said his conversations with manager Mikel Arteta convinced him that Arsenal was the right place for a new challenge. “It feels amazing to join Arsenal. I’m grateful for this opportunity. When I first spoke to Mikel Arteta, I felt excited right away. I knew inside that I needed a new challenge, and Arsenal felt like the right place,” Guimaraes said.

The Brazil international said Arsenal’s history and vision were among the factors that attracted him to the club, adding that he wants to help the team achieve its ambitions.

“The club has a great history and a clear vision. I want to be part of that and help the team achieve big things. I’m looking forward to getting started and giving my best for the fans,” he added.

Guimaraes, who joined Arsenal from Newcastle United in August, said he believes the move has come at the right stage of his career. Arsenal officially announced his signing on a long-term contract on August 8.

“After playing in two FIFA World Cups, I feel this is the right time in my career for a new challenge. I want to win trophies and make history, and I believe I’m in the right place to do that,” he said, as quoted by JioHotstar.

The midfielder also highlighted the importance of squad depth with Arsenal facing a busy season across competitions.

“We have a lot of games this season, so every player in the squad will be important. I’m ready to give my best and help the team achieve great things. Hopefully, we can turn our dreams into reality,” Guimaraes said.

Meanwhile, Arsenal continued their perfect start to the 2026/27 Premier League season with a 1-0 win over Aston Villa at Villa Park, with Bukayo Saka scoring the decisive goal in the second half.

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

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Aethelwulf, under the confident guidance of star jockey Zac Lloyd, effortlessly conquered his rivals to win the Merrylands RSL Handicap (2000m).

The four-year-old stayer has now amassed four wins from five starts this season, each triumph secured by considerable margins. His campaign commenced with a maiden victory at Newcastle by over five lengths, followed by decisive wins of six-and-a-half lengths, six-and-a-half lengths, and two-and-a-quarter lengths in his subsequent races.

In reality, Aethelwulf’s winning margin at Rosehill could have been extended, but Lloyd chose not to push the stayer, who evidently had a clear advantage over the field.

Trainer Matthew Smith has indicated that a plausible progression for Aethelwulf this campaign involves moving from a Newcastle maiden to the Group 2 $750,000 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Royal Randwick on October 3.

“Aethelwulf may get there (The Metropolitan), we might go to the Newcastle Cup first,” Smith said. “If he gets through that then why not?”

Aethelwulf ($1.35 favourite) delivered a performance befitting an odds-on favourite, cruising to victory well ahead of Anthracite ($7.50). Kenmare Bay ($15) finished a length further back in third.

Lloyd, who has ridden Aethelwulf in his last three starts for three dominant wins, described the stayer as a “super exciting horse”.

“Aethelwulf is still very raw and will be a better horse in six to 12 months but he can’t be doing much better than he is now,” Lloyd said.

“He won easily and is a natural stayer. He pulls up very clean-winded, his breathing is very clear.”.

Aethelwulf’s impressive performance at Rosehill today has seen him firm into $6 equal favouritism for The Metropolitan, sharing the top spot with King Of The Sea, another highly-regarded stayer.

Smith commented that Aethelwulf’s rapid development this winter had been somewhat unexpected.

“We were hoping he would do that today but you never know,” Smith said.

“He’s a pretty unassuming horse at home, he’s a lazy trackworker but he’s switched on come raceday.

“It was good to see him step up in grade today and once he learns his craft he could be very good.

“I feel 2000m and beyond will be his trip as he has a massive stride, he has the biggest stride in my stable, but it’s a big, easy, loping stride, very economical.”

Discover the best racing odds available at online bookmakers.

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has launched a scathing attack on the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to make wholesale changes to the Test squad and coaching staff midway through the England series, calling it the “most shocking decision ever” by a selection committee.Pakistan have dropped seven players and brought in seven replacements, including five uncapped players, ahead of the third and final Test against England at Edgbaston, starting September 9. Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul have also been removed from their roles.The sweeping changes came after Pakistan suffered heavy defeats in the opening two Tests, losing the first by an innings and 103 runs before England won the second by 194 runs at Lord’s.

Afridi questions logic behind Pakistan changes

Afridi questioned the timing and reasoning behind the dramatic overhaul in a strongly worded post on social media.“Not sure what is the logic or reasoning behind this decision!”, Afridi wrote.“Even the replacements make no sense – T20 players have been included for a Test match in England?“What is this thinking and approach? Why has the coach been axed after five Test matches?“This is the most shocking decision ever by a selection committee which includes so many experienced selectors.”Five of the seven players released — Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman and Khurram Shahzad — had featured in the series. Aamir Jamal and Muhammad Awais Jafar were sent home without playing a Test.Pakistan have brought in Test-capped batters Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal alongside Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran Randhawa and Razaullah.

Misbah resignation adds to Pakistan turmoil

The upheaval has also triggered uncertainty within the PCB’s selection structure. Former captain Misbah-ul-Haq has offered his resignation from the national selection committee, according to Geo News and Cricinfo.Sources close to Misbah, quoted by Geo News, said he had informed the PCB of his decision and would serve a notice period before formally stepping down. Cricinfo reported that the PCB was yet to accept his resignation.According to the report, Misbah was apparently not consulted over the sweeping changes despite being part of the selection committee. He has also reportedly decided to step down as a batting consultant at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.Despite the chaos, Pakistan are scheduled to meet King Charles at Clarence House this week in an engagement planned before the series began.On the field, Pakistan face the daunting task of avoiding a 3-0 series clean sweep at Edgbaston.

On Saturday night, Filip Hrgovic shook up the heavyweight division by halting Moses Itauma and getting his hands on the IBF heavyweight world title.

During the aftermath, ‘El Animal’ assessed how the youngster stacked up to his former opponents, one of which is reigning WBO titleholder, Daniel Dubois.

Dubois handed Hrgovic the solitary defeat of his career when they collided back in 2024, as the Zagreb-born operator was stopped on cuts in a clash for the IBF Interim title, which eventually caused Dubois to be elevated to full world champion.

Since then, Hrgovic has embarked on a mission against other British heavyweights and he scored a career-best upset victory over the much-fancied Itauma at the weekend, stretching his streak to four consecutive wins against British contenders and simultaneously becoming Croatia’s first heavyweight world champion.

Speaking to DAZN Boxing in a post-fight interview, Hrgovic put the 21-year-old Itauma above all previous opponents, including Dubois, as the ‘best that he has shared the ring with’.

“He is definitely the future. He is an amazing fighter, he is one of a kind, he is the best that I have been in the ring with, but he needs more experience. 

“He gassed out, I felt the pace of the fight, I knew I was losing rounds but I knew that I had pace in my favour because he was gassing out. He needs more experience but he is one of a kind.”

Hrgovic is now expected to take on Cuba’s Frank Sanchez in a first defence of his world title, with the 34-year-old hopeful of soon headlining on home soil in Croatia, where he has not fought since 2019.

Hull City are continuing to have busy summer window and have now announced Ilyas Ansah as their 13th addition for the season.

The 21-year-old has joined from Union Berlin, in Germany, for an undisclosed fee and has signed a five-year contract, keeping him at Hull until mid-2031.

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After turning professional with Paderborn, Ansah joined Union Berlin last season, making 36 appearances and contributing five goals and one assist.

Last week, he featured for the German capital club in their opening German Cup match, providing an assist in Union Berlin’s emphatic win over Eintracht Braunschweig.