The weights are not in Baraqiel’s corner for his shot at one of Australia’s elite sprint features, the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington.

Only three horses have won the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) since metric weights began in 1973 while carrying above 57.5kg; the event occurs Saturday.

Hay List bore 58.5kg when victorious in 2012, with Black Caviar carrying 58kg the previous year in her perfect record, same as Shaftesbury Avenue back in 1991.

Redkirk Warrior also carried Baraqiel’s 57.5kg to a second success in 2018, after his lighter 52.5kg win prior.

Baraqiel carries a heavy load, but trainers Leon and Troy Corstens and Will Larkin believe it’s conquerable.

Baraqiel dons blinkers initially to chase a follow-up Group 1 after his Moir Stakes (1000m) conquest at Moonee Valley last spring.

On Saturday, it will be Baraqiel’s second run this prep, following fourth to Tentyris in the Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington February 14.

Go down 1.6 lengths then, Baraqiel receives a 3kg allowance now.

“I reckon he’s improved a lot out of that first-up run,” Larkin said.

“We trialled him last Friday just to tick him over and he’s going there in good order.

“We weren’t there to give him a real good test in the trial. We put the blinkers on him for the first time, and we wanted to get him out the back and see if he would settle.

“He managed that really well, so the blinkers will go on him on Saturday.”

Saturday’s Flemington straight may aid those finishing strongly, though Larkin sticks with barrier three over wider gates.

He feels it fits Baraqiel, considering the gelding lays in, and being trapped for a late burst is beneficial.

“I prefer the inside draw to one outside,” Larkin said.

“We’re going to try and ride him like we did in the Moir. Smother him in there and leave it all late as his turn of foot is his asset and hopefully that gets him to the line.”

Next is the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield March 21 after this weekend, plans adaptable thereafter.

“The William Reid has always been his Grand Final,” Larkin said.

“He’ll spin around the bend, third-up, which looks like it will shape up as a good race.

“After that we have got plenty of options for good prize money. There have been some talks about The Quokka or may be going up to Sydney as well.”

Discover competitive racing betting markets ahead of the Newmarket Handicap.

For a moment, Ireland threatened to run off into the night.

After Jacob Stockdale ended his five-year wait for an international try, Ireland celebrated a second try against Wales just 10 minutes into Friday’s Six Nations game when Jack Conan crashed over.

But the home support’s excitement at the possibility of a thumping turned to frustration when the try was ruled out for Tom O’Toole’s knock on.

It set up a nervy night for Ireland when their post-England euphoria was quickly forgotten as they set about keeping a stubborn and spirited Wales side quiet.

In their record away win over England, Ireland ruthlessly built up a 22-0 lead before the hosts replied.

On Friday, though, a hard-hitting Welsh defence stopped the hosts from building an insurmountable advantage.

And when asked for his observations, Ireland head coach Andy Farrell was quick to both praise Wales after they provided his side a more uncomfortable examination than England last time out.

“I actually thought Wales did fantastically well to stay in the game,” he said.

“Like Caelan [Doris, Ireland captain] said, if it goes to 14 points, it’s a different game you’re looking at, but they played tough, they hung on in there and kept it close on the scoreboard. I thought they were tremendous tonight.

“It was a proper Test match and for us to come away with a bonus-point win, we’d certainly take that with how the game unfolded, because it was a different game to the game that we played last time round.

“In regards to, we weren’t playing rugby on the front foot because of how well they defended, I thought they were excellent in contact and set-piece.”

With Pride Of Jenni lined up for the All-Star Mile, it complicates matters for the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable’s Sabaj.

The All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington scheduled for Saturday acts as Sabaj’s alternative after blood problems prevented his run in the Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last weekend.

Prior plans had Sabaj building towards the Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 28, via the Blamey Stakes and the Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield a fortnight from now, factoring in Pride Of Jenni’s All-Star Mile nomination.

“Originally, we wanted to go Blamey, Peter Young, Australian Cup,” Price said.

“We thought that was the best option because if Pride Of Jenni is at her best, she is unbeatable.

“I don’t know if she is, but whenever she is a race, they can be upset races.

“Who is the horse that carts up?

“Those races are so unusual when Pride Of Jenni is blasting away, but because we had a bad blood count, we’ve ended up in the All-Star Mile, and I’m not sure whether we end up in the Australian Cup after that or not.”

Sabaj registered an inflammatory signal in his blood, which Price cited as reason to hold him back from racing.

The gelding is now in top shape, and Price looks for a solid effort from his draw, without positioning as the lone trailer behind Pride Of Jenni.

“He’ll be around there somewhere at the finish, but everyone needs her to have an off day,” Price said.

“If you have horses behind you and only Pride Of Jenni in front of you, it’s a tough gig, but I don’t think that will be us.

“I’m not sure who it is, and that is why it can be an upset race. You can only ride the race you are in, not Pride Of Jenni’s race.

“If she capitulates, you’re on, if not, no-one beats her.”

Price was eager to trial Sabaj at the 2000m distance, pinpointing the Australian Cup as suitable.

The interruption clouds whether he’ll make it there, with the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick the following month as a fallback.

The Doncaster Mile (1600m) presents another possibility beforehand.

“He’s a good miler on a big track but plans are up in the air because we had to divert,” Price said.

“I’ve been keen to try him at 2000 metres because I think he’s got that tempo about him and if they do get 2000 metres, it opens up more options.

“He could end up in the Queen Elzabeth, or he could go to Queensland, but we were going to find out a but in the Australian Cup.”

For the All-Star Mile, bettors can find great promotions at leading betting sites.

San Jose State University President Cynthia Teniente-Matson announced Friday that the school and the California State University (CSU) system are suing the federal government to challenge the U.S. Department of Education’s recent determination that SJSU violated Title IX in its handling of a transgender volleyball player. 

The department’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) announced at the end of January that an investigation into the university for its handling of a trans athlete and other players concluded that the school violated Title IX and gave the school an ultimatum to resolve the violation by agreeing to a series of conditions. 

But now, instead of complying like the University of Pennsylvania did last summer related to its handling of trans swimmer Lia Thomas, SJSU and CSU are suing to prevent potential federal funding cuts. 

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Blaire Fleming of the San Jose State Spartans during the third set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym Oct. 19, 2024, in Colorado Springs, Colo.  (Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)

“Because we believe OCR’s findings aren’t grounded in the facts or the law, SJSU and the CSU filed a lawsuit today against the federal government to challenge those findings and prevent the federal government from taking punitive action against the university, including the potential withholding of critical federal funding,” Teniente-Matson said Friday.

“This is not a step we take lightly. However, we have a responsibility to defend the integrity of our institution and the rule of law, while ensuring that every member of our community is treated fairly and in accordance with the law. Our position is simple: We have followed the law and cannot be punished for doing so.”

The school is also requesting that OCR rescind its findings and close its investigation. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Education for a response. 

Teniente-Matson affirmed the university’s commitment to defending the LGBTQ community in the announcement.

“Our support for the LGBTQ members of our community, who have experienced threats and harms over the last several years, remains unwavering. We know the attention the university has received around this issue and the investigative process that followed have been unsettling for many in our community,” the president said. 

“We’ve heard the fear and anxiety that it has created and recognize that waiting for the university’s response has been difficult at a time already filled with uncertainty.” 

The university and its volleyball program were thrust into the national spotlight in 2024 after it was revealed the team rostered trans athlete Blaire Fleming since 2022. Former SJSU co-captain Brooke Slusser joined a lawsuit and led her own, alleging she was never told Fleming was a biological male when she joined the team and shared bedrooms and changing spaces with Fleming without that knowledge.

Slusser has responded to SJSU and CSU’s decision to sue in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

“It makes me so mad that SJSU still refuses to see that everything they did is wrong. I think they’re just too scared to admit it and face the repercussions of their actions!” Slusser said.

Slusser made a public statement on X, calling the decision “absurd.” 

Seven matches, including a conference semifinal, were forfeited to SJSU in 2024 during the controversy. 

Among the department’s findings, it determined that a female athlete discovered that the trans student allegedly conspired to have a member of an opposing team spike her in the face during a match. The department claims “SJSU did not investigate the conspiracy, but later subjected the female athlete to a Title IX complaint for ‘misgendering’ the male athlete in online videos and interviews.”

Slusser alleged in her November 2024 lawsuit against the Mountain West that she and former assistant coach Melissa Batie-Smoose were made aware of a meeting between Fleming and Colorado State women’s volleyball player Malaya Jones on Oct. 2, 2024, during which Fleming discussed a plan with Jones to have Slusser spiked in the face during a match the following night.

A federal judge made a ruling in that lawsuit’s motion to dismiss on Tuesday. Colorado District Judge Kato Crews dismissed all the plaintiffs’ charges against the Mountain West Conference but did not dismiss charges of Title IX violations against the CSU system. 

Crews deferred his ruling on whether to dismiss those charges until after a decision in the ongoing B.P.J. v. West Virginia Supreme Court case, which is expected in June.

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“The Motion to Strike Class Allegations is denied,” Crews wrote in his decision. “What remains of the Amended Complaint is Plaintiffs’ Title IX claims for damages against the CSU Board… So the Court defers ruling on the Title IX damages claims until after the Supreme Court has issued its ruling in B.P.J.“

The CSU provided a statement to Fox News Digital in response to Crews’ ruling. 

“CSU is pleased with the court’s ruling. SJSU has complied with Title IX and all applicable law, and it will continue to do so,” the statement said.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

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Manny Pacquiao hopes to avenge his most famous defeat when he meets with Floyd Mayweather for a second time, 11 years on from their initial encounter. Although, when reflecting on their first fight, ‘Pac Man’ spoke with disappointment.

Back in 2015, Mayweather held the unified WBC and WBA welterweight world titles, whilst Pacquiao held the WBO crown, with the lure of a three-belt unification being enough to finally force the pound-for-pound stars to square-off after years of encouragement.

In the fight, Mayweather landed the cleaner work throughout and delivered a disciplined, controlled display to claim a relatively wide unanimous decision victory on the scorecards – arguably the best win of his legendary career.

However, in an interview with All The Smoke Fight, Pacquiao revealed that he still believes that he won the fight due to the volume of punches that he threw, compared to ‘TBE’.

“Right after the fight, I went to the hospital and got operated [on] my shoulder. It really hurt.

“His style, I knew it, but the thing is – I review. I am expecting that I won the fight because he didn’t throw a lot of punches, I throw a lot of punches.

“I reviewed the Compubox [numbers] like slow-motion from first round to round 12, [checking] how many punches connected, how many punches he connected with, that is boxing.

“I am not complaining or making [excuses]. It happened that way. It happened to me many times.”

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Compubox reported that Pacquiao threw and landed less punches than Mayweather, scoring with 19% of his shots and being far less efficient than the victor, who connected with 148 of 435 thrown blows (34%), although those figures remain disputed.

Mayweather-Pacquiao II takes place on Saturday, September 19, at The Sphere in Las Vegas, with the fight being available to watch live on Netflix.

UConn guard Azzi Fudd signed an NIL deal with Jordan Brand, it was announced on Friday. The NIL deal comes on the heels of the Huskies completing their 2025-26 regular season with an unbeaten 31-0 record.

“I grew up watching what the Jumpman meant to basketball and to the culture around the game, so becoming part of the Jordan Brand family represents what I am stepping into and the greatness that I aspire to be,” Fudd said in a statement. “To wear the same logo that so many legends have worn is something I don’t take lightly.

“For me, it’s about honoring that legacy while also helping show what the next generation of women’s basketball looks like. I’m excited to keep pushing my game forward while representing Jordan Brand with pride. And I hope that I continue to inspire young girls who dream of playing at the highest level.”

When fans caught wind of Fudd’s link-up with the Jordan Brand, they had some interesting reactions.

“Unfathomable aura,” one tweeted.

“Fudd around and find out,” another added.

“Fantastic congratulations,” a third commented.

Here are a few more reactions:

“Huge for women’s hoops + NIL. Jordan Brand picking Azzi feels inevitable—can’t wait to see what she’s rocking on-court,” one wrote.

“Yay!!! That’s sturdy,” another added.

“LFG!! Congrats Azzi!!” a user tweeted.

Fudd ended the regular season averaging 17.9 points, 3.0 assists and 2.6 rebounds. She is expected to play a key role for the Huskies

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Azzi Fudd’s UConn will face Georgetown in Big East Tournament quarterfinals

Azzi Fudd’s UConn (31-0, 20-0) will face Georgetown (14-16, 6-14) in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals on Saturday. The game will tip off at noon ET from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

The Huskies own the top seed in the Big East Tournament and earned a bye in the opening two rounds. Meanwhile, Georgetown owns the No. 8 seed and beat Butler in the second round of the conference tournament.