Neeraj Chopra’s injury battles: From elbow surgery in 2019 to an ankle ligament tear in 2026 – the setbacks and comebacks that defined his career | More sports News
Neeraj Chopra’s career has been defined by historic throws, Olympic medals and a relentless pursuit of excellence. But alongside those milestones has been a recurring challenge: injuries that have repeatedly interrupted his season.Neeraj Chopra has been ruled out of the 2026 Asian Games and the remainder of the season after suffering an ankle ligament tear during training. The injury comes just days after he finished second at the Lausanne Diamond League with a season-best 88.05m. It is another frustrating setback for the two-time Olympic medallist, who had only recently returned from a lengthy injury layoff.Here is a look at the major injury setbacks that have disrupted his career.
2026: An ankle tear ends his season
Chopra’s latest injury is an ankle ligament tear sustained during training. The injury rules him out of the Asian Games, the Diamond League Final and the World Athletics Ultimate Championships, bringing his 2026 campaign to an early end.It comes after a promising return to competition following almost nine months away from the sport.
Neeraj Chopra (PTI Photo)
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2025-26: A long road back from a back injury
Chopra’s previous major setback came with a back injury that kept him away from competition for around nine months. He had competed at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo despite carrying the problem, finishing eighth. The injury subsequently forced him into an extended rehabilitation period.His comeback was delayed further in 2026, with Chopra missing the Doha Diamond League before eventually returning to competitive action.
2024: Adductor concerns before Paris
The 2024 season brought another fitness scare. Chopra withdrew from the Ostrava Golden Spike after experiencing discomfort in his adductor. Chopra subsequently opted out of the Paris Diamond League, again because of his troublesome adductor/groin issue. He later explained that he did not want to take unnecessary risks with the Paris Olympics approaching.The decision paid off as Chopra stayed fit for the Olympics and successfully defended his place on the podium, winning silver in Paris.
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2023: Three meets on the sidelines
In 2023, a muscle strain forced Chopra to miss three competitions in quick succession – the FBK Games, Paavo Nurmi Games and Ostrava Golden Spike. He missed roughly a month of competition before returning at the Lausanne Diamond League.
2022: Groin injury costs him Commonwealth Games
After winning his first World Championships medal in Eugene, Chopra suffered a groin injury that ruled him out of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. It was a major disappointment for the Indian star, who was the defending champion after winning gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
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2019: The first major interruption
One of the earliest and most significant injury setbacks of Chopra’s career came in 2019. A right elbow injury required surgery and forced him to miss the World Championships that year. It also kept him away from competition for several months. Around a 16-month competitive hiatus, before his return in January 2020.
WWE legend D-Von Dudley has said that many major wrestling stars used the N-word for years. The decorated tag team star has spoken in the past about racism in the pro wrestling business.
Recently, on the Duke Loves Rasslin podcast, it was brought up how AEW star MJF has used the N-word in the past in his X posts. D-Von said he wasn’t aware of this but mentioned that the slur is used more commonly in the wrestling business than people believe.
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He said Hulk Hogan was rightly criticized for his racist comments over a decade ago but said he isn’t the only one who has used such words.
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“I didn’t know that either about the N-word. I didn’t know about that. Everybody got on Hogan for saying what he said and, you know, ‘He’s a racist,’ and things like that. Yes, it was wrong. But believe me when I say it: He’s not the only one. Neither one of them are the only ones who use that word on a regular basis or have said things that were inappropriate when it came to other races of people,” he said.
The WWE Hall of Famer then dropped a bombshell, saying that he has personally heard many prominent figures in pro wrestling use the word.
“There are a lot of people in the wrestling business who have said things, and I’ve heard it personally. I’m not exposing or anything, but there are a lot more people—people who are very prominent figures in professional wrestling today—who have said that. And said it back in the ’80s and ’90s and even the millennium. They’ve said it, and they used it frequently because they didn’t think they were going to get caught,” he added.
D-Von Dudley accused Jim Ross of racism in WWE
Last year, speaking on Maven’s podcast, D-Von Dudley talked about facing racism in WWE from a well-known name.
Then, in an appearance on Duke Loves Rasslin, he revealed that he was referring to legendary commentator Jim Ross.
JR responded to these accusations, saying he was shocked to hear this and said that it doesn’t merit a response from him.
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If you use quotes from this article, please credit Duke Loves Rasslin podcast and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.
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ONE Friday Fights 168 went down on Friday at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, with bantamweight and flyweight Muay Thai headlining a card that streamed live in Asia primetime.
Wuttikrai Wor Chakrawut of Thailand came into the main event carrying immense momentum.
Iranian striker Mohammad Habibpour pressed forward with relentless aggression from the first bell, but Wuttikrai kept his composure and worked behind clean counters. A short elbow in round one opened a cut on Habibpour’s face and established a pattern that ran through much of the fight, earning Wuttikrai the decision victory.
Habibpour came out fighting through blood in the final round, throwing everything he had left. Another heavy left hook landed right before the final bell. But the early damage Wuttikrai had built up proved too much to overcome on the scorecards.
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Meanwhile, Brazil Aekmuangnon needed a response after back-to-back losses, and he delivered one in the co-main event.
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Petphupa Aekpujean controlled the opening round with sharp right hands through the middle and accurate combination work, but Brazil absorbed everything and refused to give ground.
The fight turned in round two when Brazil timed Petphupa stepping forward aggressively and landed a downward right elbow that dropped him cleanly.
Petphupa beat the count and came back swinging in the final round, but the knockdown was decisive. All three judges sided with Brazil, lifting his record to 48-15.
ONE Friday Fights 168 full results
Wuttikrai Wor Chakrawut def. Mohammad Habibpour via unanimous decision (bantamweight Muay Thai)
Manchester City will take on Manchester United at Old Trafford after playing their first Champions League game of the season
Manchester City have been handed one of their toughest Champions League games in the week of the Manchester derby – but will get more recovery than Manchester United. The Blues will head to Porto on the Tuesday before they are at Old Trafford on the Sunday, with United playing on the Thursday.
However, that week marks the start of a more congested fixture list as the Champions League starts up followed by the Carabao Cup a week later. There is only one European tie before the three-week international break at the end of September, and the Blues will travel away to Porto before United host Sabah a few days later.
City have been given statistically one of the hardest draws out of the 36 teams involved in the first phase of the Champions League, with home games against PSG, Sporting, Napoli and AEK Athens and trips to Barcelona, Porto, Leipzig and Lens.
The trip to Camp Nou will bring the Blues face to face with Rodri again following his summer move, while Josko Gvardiol (Leipzig) and Abdukodir Khusanov (Lens) will travel back to their former clubs.
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The first six games will be played before Christmas before the final two are completed in January, with a top-eight spot guaranteeing a place in the last-16 and an extra 16 places offering a play-off to make it. City finished in the top-eight last year but lost to Real Madrid in the first knockout stage.
Times and dates of Man City’s Champions League fixtures
Maidans might be one of the most democratic institutions our world has invented without ever intending to. A maidan does not care much about your surname, class, or whether you can afford a membership at a club. If you have a bat, you can play. If you don’t, you can stand at the boundary, and eventually be dragged into the game.That is not how all sporting spaces work. A sporting academy or private indoor sporting arena has some kind of exclusivity and membership fee. A maidan has a different logic. The rich and the poor can occupy the same patch of grass, even if they do not live the same lives outside it.Maidans are a public common. Public commons are places that belong to everyone and to no one at the same time.However, across the country, these maidans have been shrinking. They are being converted into sports complexes with entry fees, convention centres, marriage halls, parking lots and exhibition grounds. Some changes improve the facility. Others simply make it inaccessible for the common people.
The republic of Maidan
Fifteen or twenty years ago, if you walked through Arya Nagar, one of the busy neighbourhoods in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur, you would have witnessed hundreds of people involved in sporting activities.Around the area known as Brijendra Swaroop Park were five big public maidans, each roughly 100-150 metres wide and almost 200 metres long. Children and adults, mostly men, played cricket and other sports, flew kites or stood around watching matches. On weekends, several games could take place at the same time.There was a sporting culture around the maidans. In 2026, most of that space has disappeared or has become inaccessible for normal people to play.What remains is either behind walls, occupied by newly constructed buildings, or reduced to small patches that are difficult to use for sport.Of the five maidans, one was walled and had a grass ground but remained open to the public. It was known as Palika Stadium.The ground was large enough to host two cricket matches at the same time — one on a matting wicket and another on a proper turf wicket. A cricket academy also operated there at a monthly fee that was affordable for players.The stadium was used for more than cricket. It had a basketball court and indoor space where chess and carrom tournaments were held. Schools in the neighbourhood also used it for their annual sports events.The ground next to Palika Stadium was converted into a park more than a decade ago and named Parashuram Vatika. It has proper walkways for people who come for morning and evening walks.That change was needed, and the park has become a space used regularly, particularly by old-aged people.The Palika Stadium ground itself, which stands on Kanpur Nagar Nigam land, has been divided into two parts.One half now houses an air-conditioned multi-purpose indoor sports complex with facilities including table tennis and swimming. Membership costs range from Rs 2,500 a month to more than Rs 75,000 a year.
The other half has a cricket ground and academy with floodlights. Kanpur Municipal Corporation built the facility under a public-private partnership, and a private enterprise now manages it.However, the cricket academy’s fee has increased several times since the new facility was built. More importantly, the stadium is no longer freely accessible to the public.People can use it only if they book the stadium for matches. The rental cost ranges from Rs 12,000 to Rs 85,000 per match.
From open maidans to marriage halls and exhibitions
The other three maidans opposite Palika Stadium tell a more tragic story.In front of Palika Stadium were three grounds, separated by roads. For almost a decade, one of them was used to store sewer pipes that were meant to be installed across the city. It became unavailable for sporting activities around 2010.That ground now houses the Kanpur Municipal Corporation’s “Mangal Bhavan Baarat Shaala”, a venue that offers space for marriages and other ceremonies for a fee.
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Another ground has been largely enclosed by walls. It is used for expos and exhibitions during the year. Although the public can still access it, its condition is no longer suitable for most sporting activities.The only remaining area that can still be used for some sport is a roughly 50m x 50m patch next to the walled ground.
An area that once had several grounds, each hundreds of metres across and stretching for almost 200 metres, has been reduced to a small fraction of its former sporting space. Even that remaining space is not in good condition.
Who owns the maidan?
The disappearance of open sporting spaces is not limited to Kanpur. Around 20km away, in neighbouring Unnao district, the Ram Leela ground near Hiran Nagar was also once used for sports.Today, local transport operators and tempos are regularly parked on and around the ground, making it difficult to use the space for sporting activities.In Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation recently proposed converting Neville D’Souza Football Ground at Bandra Reclamation into an exhibition or convention centre. Hundreds of footballers, coaches, parents, students and citizens gathered last week to oppose the proposal. On Thursday, the Bombay High Court halted the BMC’s conversion plan, for now.“You tell us where the people will be playing football?” the Bombay High Court asked while stopping the BMC move.Mumbai has lost many of its maidans over the years. On Sunday, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MLA Aaditya Thackeray alleged that the reservations for 17 maidans and other open spaces in Mumbai had been changed and converted for commercial or residential use.
The pattern is similar in several cities.A ground that was once meant for sport becomes a parking area, a marriage venue, an exhibition centre or a site for public events. In some cases, the space technically remains open to the public but is occupied for weeks or months every year.
Making of a sporting nation: Without maidans?
Union budget 2026–27 allocated Rs 4,479.88 crore to the sports ministry. Earlier this month, the Union Cabinet approved a Rs 29,054 crore outlay for the Khelo India Scheme for the years 2026-2031 along with Rs 7,387 crore for the Assistance to National Sports Federations Scheme (ANSF). The central government has also set aside a Rs 565 crore component for states, which they will dip into to share the cost of future sports infrastructure development projects in the five-year plan.India needs more stadiums, indoor halls, swimming pools and courts. These facilities are important for training professional athletes and hosting competitions. They help produce players who can win medals and trophies.But a sporting nation cannot be built entirely through facilities that someone has to pay to enter.Maidans serve a different purpose and play a big part in creating the sporting culture. Maidans are often the place where these to-be professional athletes first kick the ball or pick up a bat. Maidans are the hub of amateur sports; people who do not wish to play sport at a professional level. They play sports just for the love of the game.Sporting culture grows in open spaces that belong to everyone, not just inside academies or big sporting arenas. The open public maidans make playing sports an accessible thing.When these maidans disappear, sport becomes something that increasingly needs money or access to a private facility.Speaking during the ‘Khelo India Dialogue’ on Thursday, called upon youngsters to choose “playgrounds over playstations.”“More important than screens are sports centres. More important than PlayStation is the playground. And this will happen only when the youth embrace this approach,” PM Modi said.As the country celebrates National Sports Day on Saturday, for youngsters to choose the playground over the PlayStation, there first needs to be a playground left to choose.
Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis on Saturday joined a growing list of cricketers expressing solidarity with the people of Nepal after devastating floods caused widespread destruction and left hundreds dead and thousands missing.Du Plessis, who visited Nepal last year, took to X to recall his experience in the country and praised the kindness of its people as he offered his thoughts and prayers to those affected by the disaster.“I was lucky enough to visit Nepal last year and experience firsthand the kindness of its people and the incredible beauty of the country. It’s devastating to see what has happened. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected, and with the families and communities facing such heartbreaking loss,” du Plessis wrote.His message came after Indian cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar and Irfan Pathan had also expressed their support for those caught up in the devastating floods.
Sachin, Irfan also offer prayers
Tendulkar on Thursday shared an emotional message on X, focusing particularly on families still waiting for news of loved ones amid the ongoing rescue operations.“There is perhaps no greater uncertainty than not knowing whether someone you love is safe. My heart goes out to all the families affected by the devastating floods in Nepal, especially those still waiting for news. Praying for their loved ones and for the rescue teams working tirelessly to reach them,” Tendulkar wrote.Pathan had earlier shared a shorter but equally heartfelt message after seeing the visuals emerging from the disaster-hit regions.“My prayers are with the people of Nepal during this difficult time. Heartbreaking to see the visuals. May Nepal find strength and overcome this tough phase soon,” Pathan wrote.The messages from prominent cricketers have come as Nepal continues to deal with the devastating aftermath of floods triggered by an ice-rock avalanche following a glacial collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border. The torrent of water, mud and debris swept through parts of central Nepal, destroying homes, vehicles, roads and bridges and damaging hydropower projects.
Rescue efforts continue as Nepal battles devastation
The scale of the disaster has prompted a major search, rescue and relief operation, with thousands of personnel deployed across affected areas. Nepal’s authorities have been working to reach people stranded or trapped in difficult-to-access locations, while damaged roads and continuing rainfall have complicated rescue and relief efforts.India has also stepped up its assistance to neighbouring Nepal. According to the information provided by Nepalese authorities, India has dispatched 57.6 tonnes of relief material to flood-hit areas, while an 11-member Indian team comprising medical personnel and tunnel rescue experts has arrived in Nepal following a request from Kathmandu.Nepal Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle praised India’s response to the crisis, describing Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “exceptionally generous”. He said New Delhi had indicated that it would provide “very generous assistance for reconstruction” as Nepal moves from immediate rescue efforts towards recovery and rebuilding.Wagle said the response would take place in phases, beginning with rescuing those who can still be saved, including people stranded or trapped at hydropower plants. The Nepal Army has also been involved heavily in the rescue operation, with thousands of security personnel mobilised.
PurplePTSD works in partnership with Vikings Territory, similarly doing their utmost to offer top-notch coverage of the Minnesota Vikings. As a result, we’re promoting five of their top articles of the past month in “The P/PTSD Perspective.” Take a peek at some of their best stuff.
The P/PTSD Perspective: August 29th, 2026
1) Vikings Make Numerous Signings and Releases on Monday: On a few occasions, GM Nolan Teasley has entered into minor roster frenzies. A couple of guys get kicked out and a couple others get welcomed in. At the end of the week, things are going to get really frisky as the team drops from 91 players to 53 (which is to say nothing of the 16-player practice squad).
3) Vikings May Have Big News Coming on Season Opener Against the Packers: In Week 1, the Minnesota Vikings will host the Green Bay Packers. To my eye, there aren’t many NFL teams to have had worse offseasons than Green Bay. Maybe Jordan Love, a very good passer, can overcome tough circumstances, but that’s not a foregone conclusion.
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Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Clayton Tune (6) runs the ball past Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Jalen Redmond (61) during the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images – Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
4) Vikings’ Former Playmaker Gets Hit Hard by Injury: Always a tough part of the offseason (and, indeed, at any point on the calendar). In a perfect world, the injury gets overcome in a reasonably quick manner.
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) looks to hand the ball off against the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
ROUND ROCK – Is Weiss’ offense even better than anticipated?
While a lot was expected of the star-studded Wolves, who seemingly have high-level college recruits at every skill position, they appeared in midseason form Friday as most UIL schools began the Texas high school football season.
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Producing more than 500 yards of offense, which looks even better considering nearly all of that came in three quarters, Weiss topped Round Rock 42-28 in a highly entertaining game at Dragon Stadium.
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And though more will be known after their next game against Lake Travis, the Wolves signaled that any preseason hype was certainly deserved.
Jaxon Schad threw for 306 yards and five touchdowns and added 87 yards and a score on the ground. Now a junior, Schad is not only bigger and faster, which he showed in breaking several tackles scrambling, but his accuracy and touch were nearly flawless as he completed 21 of 25 attempts.
“Pretty much everything was working tonight, honestly,” Schad said. “We had a good game plan coming in and a great script. We knew what was going to hit and we put it on the field and made it happen.”
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Weiss arguably has one of the top wide receiver groups in the state, and Schad made good use of it. He connected with Jordan Ibn Anderson-El for three TDs and with Tre Moore and Dallas Schad – his older brother – for one.
“I say this in every interview, but it’s truly a blessing to throw to this group,” Jaxon Schad said. “I cannot thank God more or the staff more for this. It’s incredible. I can’t thank them enough. The amount of work they put in to be able to shine on these fields – it’s every day. So I love it.”
The Wolves’ receivers are also fortunate to have Jaxon Schad as a quarterback. He already has offers from several colleges, including Texas Tech, SMU and Houston, but Weiss coach Malcolm Hill noted he’s more than just talent.
“Jaxon Schad – he’s the ultimate competitor,” said Hill, who led the Wolves to a 10-3 record in his first year leading the program last fall. “He’s one of the best individuals and he’s a competitor that everyone believes in.”
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Does Weiss have a breakout star in new running back?
It wasn’t just Jaxon Schad and the receivers who shone, though.
Making his first varsity start, sophomore running back Trae Collins had 27 carries for 137 yards.
“We call him ‘Baby bus,’” Hill said, possibly referring to former NFL running back Jerome Bettis, who was nicknamed “the bus.” “(Weiss’ starter) went down in the scrimmage last week, and Trae stepped up. His verticality and the way he gets lost behind the line is really good. He took a pounding today, but he kept his feet moving. He’s hard to hit, so you’ll be seeing a lot of him.”
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Weiss wideout honors relative with performance
It was a special and emotional night for Anderson-El.
Playing for the first time since his grandfather passed away earlier in the summer, Anderson-El dedicated his performance of six catches for 70 yards and three touchdowns to him.
“My grandpa did a lot for me,” said Anderson-El, who noted his grandfather served in the Army. “He was an amazing person, and I did it for him today.”
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Weiss hopes tough opponents pay off
Weiss, which is in Class 5A Division I, didn’t shy away from competition in its nondistrict schedule.
Round Rock and Lake Travis are two of the area’s top 6A programs and feature similar talent to what the Wolves will face if they make a deep playoff run.
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The game was tied at 28-28 entering the fourth quarter before Weiss pulled away, offering Hill a chance to judge his team’s mettle.
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“This is why you schedule Round Rock,” he said. “This is a good team. … We want to play playoff teams so we can have an assessment of who we are and where we can go. And so when the game gets tied up, I just need to see if our guys were going to flinch.”
Notable stats
Moore finished with eight catches for 133 yards.
Dallas Schad tallied four catches for 82 yards.
Round Rock quarterback Dov Stickler threw for 214 yards and two touchdowns.
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Dragons wideout Simon Sylvain recorded six catches for 79 yards.
Trae Collins on a run for Weiss. Weiss won a non-district football game 42-28 at Round Rock on August 28th, 2026. (Henry Huey/Special to American-Statesman)
Manchester United’s Champions League fixtures have been set with games against Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid now arranged for the coming months as Michael Carrick looks for success
12:30, 29 Aug 2026Updated 13:00, 29 Aug 2026
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Manchester United’s Champions League fixture dates have now been confirmed. United’s European campaign will begin at home against Sabah on Thursday September 10.
Azerbaijan side Sabah overcame Hapoel Be’er Sheva to earn their place in Europe’s top competition and a trip to Old Trafford. Michael Carrick will hope that it is a comfortable return to European action for his team.
That fixture will be followed by a trip to Spain to face La Liga giants Atletico Madrid. That game does not arrive until October, when United’s campaign gains some momentum.
Six days later, Carrick will lead his team against Cesc Fabregas’ Como side. The Champions League newcomers are hopeful of hosting United at their Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, amid rumours they would have to turn to Sassuolo’s ground to meet European requirements.
United will then welcome Roma to Old Trafford on November 8 before making a trip to Portugal to face Sporting CP three weeks later.
Either side of Christmas, the Reds will host German opposition at Old Trafford. First up is RB Leipzig before entering the business stage of the league phase, United welcome Bayern Munich and Harry Kane in their penultimate match, when they will be looking to secure their progression to the next stage.
Another trip to Spain follows with Villarreal awaiting in United’s second European match in January. Will they have qualification tied up at the point? It will be a tough task.
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Manchester United Champions League fixtures
Gameweek 1: Man Utd vs Sabah – Thursday, September 10, 8pm BST (Old Trafford)
Gameweek 2: Atletico Madrid vs Man Utd – Tuesday, October 13, 8pm BST (Wanda Metropolitano)
Gameweek 3: Como vs Man Utd – Wednesday, October 21, 5.45pm BST (Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia)
Gameweek 4: Man Utd vs Roma – Tuesday, November 3, 8pm GMT (Old Trafford)
Gameweek 5: Sporting vs Man Utd – Wednesday, November 25, 8pm GMT (Jose Alvalade Stadium)
Gameweek 6: Man Utd vs RB Leipzig – Tuesday, December 8, 8pm GMT (Old Trafford)
Gameweek 7: Man Utd vs Bayern Munich – Wednesday, January 20, 8pm GMT (Old Trafford)
Gameweek 8: Villarreal vs Man Utd – Wednesday, January 27, 8pm GMT (Estadio de la Ceramica)
The Friedkin Group, Everton‘s American owners, will be risking the fury of their own fanbase should they agree to the sale of Harrison Armstrong to Nottingham Forest.
The notion that Everton could even consider parting with Armstrong sparked an instant reaction of disbelief and anger among supporters, with the teenager regarded as their brightest home-grown prospect for years and a big hope for the future.
As yet, there are no indications that Everton will accept an offer, but Forest’s interest is real, although it would be a real coup should they pull it off.
It would also send out worrying signals about the scale of TFG’s ambitions.
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Manager David Moyes has been frustrated by the club’s lack of incoming transfer activity this summer.
Moyes made it abundantly clear after Wednesday’s 4-0 Carabao Cup second-round win at Championship side Preston that he wanted reinforcements.
His hope was that TFG would provide backing for further arrivals.
Since then, however, Everton‘s main creator Iliman Ndiaye has been heavily linked with Manchester City, and now Forest are ready to test their resolve over Armstrong.
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How Moyes would view, or indeed explain, such a sale, would be intriguing. It would appear totally at odds with his stated intention of building a better squad.
And while Everton and their support may have to accept their prize assets being spirited away by clubs such as Manchester City, the idea that their most promising young player could be taken away by Nottingham Forest – a club they would be expecting to challenge or even surpass – may be harder to stomach.
That is why the manner in which Everton handle Forest’s approach for Armstrong, who has already excelled this season, may be a defining moment for TFG and Moyes.
Jimmysstar is set to grace Melbourne with one of his infrequent visits as he commences his spring campaign in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield.
The Ciaron Maher-trained galloper has been a lucrative asset for the stable, amassing over $8.8 million in prize money from 11 wins and nine placings in 28 career starts.
Originally from New Zealand, Jimmysstar made his way to the Maher stable after only three starts, where he immediately demonstrated his talent at Bendigo and Cranbourne.
Following two further outings, Jimmysstar commenced his travels along Australia’s eastern seaboard, competing in Newcastle, Eagle Farm, and Scone.
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During the 2024 Spring Carnival, Jimmysstar raced exclusively in Melbourne, and his 2025 autumn campaign also began in the city before he resumed travelling, ultimately clinching victory in the Group 1 All-Aged Stakes at Randwick.
The gelding contested three Sydney races last spring before returning to Melbourne to capture the C F Orr Stakes. His autumn resumed at Caulfield with an unplaced performance in the William Reid Stakes, after which he travelled north to Sydney and then Brisbane for four additional races.
Jimmysstar has conducted the bulk of his preparation in Sydney, including a course proper gallop at Warwick Farm on Monday, in readiness for his Saturday return in the Memsie Stakes (1400m).
Maher conveyed his deep satisfaction with ‘Jimmys’ preparation, noting that the seven-year-old has exhibited renewed vigour.
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“His two jump-outs have been very sharp this prep and I’m just rapt with the way he’s come up,” Maher said.
“You could say his runs in the autumn were not right up to his best, but he seems to have come back really well and seems in a good spot.
“I’m really looking forward to kicking off in the Memsie. The 1400 (metres) is arguably his best trip at the moment and Caulfield, he’s got a great record as well.
“He’s raced the best plenty of times. He was very good against Ka Ying Rising over six (furlongs, 1200m) and you would think he’s better over seven (1400m).
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“He’s got a good base and has come up well and I’m sure he will make his presence felt.”
Maher indicated that numerous options lie ahead for Jimmysstar after Saturday’s race, including a potential return to Sydney for The Everest.
Last year, Jimmysstar finished third behind Ka Ying Rising and Tempted after encountering traffic issues, before going on to win the Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) and the C F Orr.
“He ran huge in The Everest from the wide gate,” Maher said.
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“He did plenty of work and it was a very good run at the six (furlongs).
“It’s a path that has been done before by I Wish I Win. He ran in the Memsie and then went back to an Everest and was very good.
“He could also go out to a mile as well. We’ll see how he goes on Saturday, but it’s good to have options.”
Consider checking out the betting markets for the race if you’re looking to get involved with the Memsie Stakes.
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