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Ninja delivers in 2026 Hobartville Stakes following Guineas mishap

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Ninja has moved past the setback of a hard-luck finish in the Magic Millions Guineas, beating several top contenders to claim the Group Two Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill.

From a tricky wide draw at the Gold Coast last time, the colt covered extra ground but went down game, yet he redeemed himself in the Saturday 1400m contest.

“It’s good to see him come back and do that,” trainer Michael Freedman said.

“It was his biggest test. The Magic Millions Guineas was a disappointment, but I was more interested in how he was going to measure up against the really good three-year-olds down here and job done.”

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Sitting on the back of leader Shangri La Boy, Ninja ($2.70 fav) took command in the final stages and kept at bay the bid from Napoleonic ($4.40) by 1-1/2 lengths, as Autumn Boy ($2.90) stormed into third, a mere half-head behind.

Freedman intends to check on his wellbeing after the run, eyeing a possible entry in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m).

“It wouldn’t bother me at all putting him out because I think he’s an exciting horse for the future, but if he pulls up well, against his own age group, why wouldn’t you (go to the Guineas)?” Freedman said.

Winning rider Tommy Berry had commented midweek that Ninja’s Queensland stint had brought him on, notably improving his racing etiquette, evident once again in the Hobartville Stakes (1400m).

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Moreover, the jockey believes the colt’s easygoing style will assist in tackling the mile trip of the Randwick Guineas.

“I’ve been saying all week since he has returned to Sydney that Lee (Freedman) had done an amazing job with him in Queensland,” Berry said.

“This horse has come back so much more relaxed whether that is trackwork, in the yard, or behind the barriers.

“I think he will run a strong 1600m because it felt like he floated that last furlong.

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“The (Randwick) Guineas will be a bigger field, there will be a lot more pressure and he is a better horse when ridden with cover.”

Caulfield Guineas winner Autumn Boy (third) and Spring Champion Stakes winner Attica (fourth) raced at the rear early in the Hobartville Stakes before closing off well for heartening performances.

Find the top racing betting markets for Hobartville Stakes action at leading sites.

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Gautam Gambhir faces heat after Axar Patel sits out IND vs SA T20 World Cup Super 8 match | Cricket News

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'That is shocking': Gautam Gambhir faces heat after Axar Patel sits out IND vs SA T20 World Cup Super 8 match
Axar Patel (right) sits out IND vs SA T20 World Cup Super 8 match (ANI Photos)

India captain Suryakumar Yadav revealed that the team went with the same playing XI for the Super 8 game against South Africa on Sunday, which meant vice-captain Axar Patel was left out again, with Washington Sundar keeping his spot. After losing the toss, Surya admitted he wanted to bat first but accepted the toss result, calling Axar’s omission a tough call.

Jay Shah: Kapil Dev deserves more credit for 1983 World Cup triumph

“I was actually looking to bat first, but it’s okay, and we’re happy to bowl first. It’s very harsh on Axar Patel, but we’re going with the same team – just a tactical decision, so no changes from the last game,” he said at the toss. The decision sparked strong reactions on social media, with many fans questioning Axar’s exclusion.“Can someone tell me, why Axar Patel is dropped with his OG T2OI performances?” One fan wrote on X.“I have another question, can somebody tell me why Washington Sundar is not bowling to David Miller, if he was selected over Axar with lefties excuse?Does anything make sense under Gambhir?”Similar sentiments among fans over the Axar Patel omission call followed.In the match, South Africa had a shaky start after opting to bat. Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh struck early, reducing them to 20/3 in just four overs. However, David Miller and Dewald Brevis staged a strong comeback, attacking India’s bowlers and shifting the momentum.Miller took on Varun Chakravarthy and Arshdeep Singh with powerful boundaries, while Brevis joined in with aggressive shots against Washington Sundar and others. The pair added quick runs and pushed the scoring rate up, helping South Africa recover to 84/3 at the halfway stage. Nevertheless, South Africa posted a strong total of 187/7 in their 20 overs after choosing to bat against India. After losing early wickets, Miller (63 off 35) and Brevis (45 off 29) led a crucial recovery, while Stubbs (44* off 24) provided a late surge. Bumrah was the standout bowler with 3/15, supported by Arshdeep’s 2/28, but India still face a challenging chase.

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US women’s hockey coach John Wroblewski’s emotional moment recalled by player

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John Wroblewski was overcome with emotion when Team USA women’s hockey star Megan Keller deked around a Canadian defender and scored the game-winning goal to bring the Americans a gold medal on Thursday.

The NBC broadcast caught tears pouring down Wroblewski’s face as his team celebrated an incredible moment for the sport and the country at the same time.

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John Wroblewski hugs Megan Keller

Head coach John Wroblewski of Team United States Megan Keller #5 of Team United States celebrate the victory after the Women’s Ice Hockey Gold Medal Game between USA and Canada (2-1 OT) on day thirteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (EyesWideOpen/Getty Images)

American Taylor Heise, who assisted on Keller’s goal, told Fox News Digital in a recent interview it was a full-circle moment for her coach.

“I saw the video yesterday (Friday), and it kind of just depicts him pretty well,” she said. “He’s an emotional guy, but he coached a lot of men’s teams and this is kind of his first women’s gig and we’ve taken him in with grace these past four years and I think he’s done wonders for this group and definitely an honor for me because the last Olympics, I got cut. He’s the first coach that gave me that chance back. He knows I’m very grateful for that. I tell him that every day.

AMERICAN WOMEN’S HOCKEY GOLD MEDALIST TAYLOR HEISE OPENS UP ON WHAT IT MEANS TO PLAY FOR TEAM USA

John Wroblewski with Laila Edwards

United States head coach John Wroblewski and Laila Edwards (10) celebrate after beating Canada in the women’s ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.  (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

“We hadn’t been able to really chat with him after. We had a lot of media and everything, but we’re grateful for him. He’s a guy that deserves the world because he believed in all of us and gave all these young girls a chance to show up and I think he picked the right 23 girls to be here.”

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Read More About The 2026 Winter Olympics

Wroblewski played in the ECHL and the American Hockey League (AHL) and coached for the Team USA Developmental Program and the AHL’s Ontario Reign before taking over the Olympic women’s team in 2022.

Heise, who will continue to play in the Professional Women’s Hockey League for the Minnesota Frost, is now something that only a few can become – a gold medalist.

Taylor Heise with the gold medal

United States’ Grace Zumwinkle, left, and Taylor Heise celebrate after victory ceremony for women’s ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.  (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

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“It’s awesome,” she said. “It’s definitely a goal of mine that I’ve had for a very long time and to now have it come true, it was definitely one of the last things on my list I wanted to check off. It’s just an unbelievable experience and the team that I got to do it with is extremely special and one of the most talented teams I’ve ever seen.”

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

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Canada vs. USA for gold

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Canada vs. USA for gold

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Oscar De La Hoya reacts to Floyd Mayweather’s return to pro boxing: “I might want the rematch”

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Oscar De La Hoya has weighed in on Floyd Mayweather revealing shock plans to stage a professional boxing comeback.

It was announced this weekend that Mayweather is set to end his retirement and make a return to professional boxing later this year.

He will first take part in an exhibition against fellow boxing legend Mike Tyson, which is reported to be in April in the Congo, before then turning his attention to once again competing professionally.

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Mayweather retired in 2017 so it will be nearly a decade since he has fought as a professional, though he has taken part in a number of exhibitions since then.

One man that he famously fought was De La Hoya back in May 2007, claiming a split decision win over ‘The Golden Boy’ to win the WBC light middleweight title.

Speaking to FightHype, De La Hoya first shared his thoughts on Mayweather returning.

“I’m excited for him. I heard he’s having an exhibition with Mike Tyson. Then he’s coming out of retirement to fight professional. It’s very interesting.”

De La Hoya was then asked if he would come out of retirement to face Mayweather again, and refused to rule it out.

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“Don’t do this to me, I know I look good but don’t do this to me. I might want it [the rematch].”

De La Hoya fought on just two further occasions after the loss to Mayweather, with his final bout coming in December 2008 when he was beaten by Manny Pacquiao, so it seems unlikely the 53-year-old would return, even for an enticing battle against his former foe.

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Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Zhang Zhizhen preview, head-to-head, odds, prediction & betting tips

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Match Details

Fixture: (1) Felix Auger-Aliassime vs (PR) Zhang Zhizhen

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Date: Monday, February 22, 2026

Tournament: Dubai Tennis Championships

Round: First (Round of 32)

Category: ATP 500

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Venue: Aviation Club Tennis Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Surface: Hard (outdoor)

Prize Money: $3,311,005

Live Telecast: USA – Tennis Channel | UK – Sky Sports | Canada – TSN, TVA Sports, DAZN

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Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Zhang Zhizhen preview

Last year’s runner-up and top seed, Felix Auger-Aliassime, will take on Zhang Zhizhen in the opening round of the Dubai Tennis Championships. Whoever wins the match will take on either Tunisian Moez Echargui or a qualifier/lucky loser in the second round of the ATP 500 event.

Auger-Aliassime enjoyed an impressive 2025 season, but his 2026 season got off to a rocky start. After winning just one of his two singles matches at the United Cup and retiring from his Australian Open first-round clash, the Canadian won the Open Occitanie in Montpellier and followed it up by reaching the final of the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam, where he lost to Alex de Minaur.

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Zhang Zhizhen has won three out of six matches so far in the 2026 season, with his most notable victory coming against Zizou Bergs at the United Cup. The Chinese, who was ranked 422 places below the Belgian at the time, won 6-7(2), 7-6(3), 7-5.

Before Dubai, Zhang last competed at the Qatar Open, getting a place in the main draw through protected ranking. The Chinese beat Roberto Carballes Baena 6-4, 6-4 in the opening round before losing 3-6, 2-6 to sixth seed and eventual semifinalist Jakub Mensik in the second round.


Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Zhang Zhizhen head-to-head

The head-to-head between the two is currently tied at 1-1, with Auger-Aliassime winning their most recent encounter 6-4. 6-4, which came during the United Cup earlier this year.


Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Zhang Zhizhen odds

Player Moneyline Handicap Bets Total Games (Over and Under)
Felix Auger-Aliassime TBD TBD TBD
Zhang Zhizhen TBD TBD TBD

Odds will be updated when available.

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Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Zhang Zhizhen prediction

Auger-Aliassime will enter the match as the overwhelming favorite to win, given his form over the past 15 months. The Canadian has reached the final in his two tournaments and has a good chance of doing so this time around as well. That said, Zhang has done well in his matches so far in 2026, beating several higher-ranked players, as his ranking rose from 464 to 319.

Auger-Aliassime is an effective server and produced 35 aces from five matches in Rotterdam. The 25-year-old doesn’t shy away from playing his shots and his aggression will no doubt make things difficult for Zhang.

The 29-year-old amassed 12 aces from his two matches in Doha and will rely heavily on his service games while looking for a decisive break. Auger-Aliassime has often produced unforced errors, so Zhang will have to find a balanced approach if he is to make things difficult for the World No. 7.

While the Chinese has produced some good moments so far this season, Auger-Aliassime could well be too much for him and he should be able to book his place in the second round of the Dubai Tennis Championships.

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Pick: Auger-Aliassime to win in straight sets.


Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Zhang Zhizhen betting tips

Tip 1: Auger-Aliassime to serve over ten aces

Tip 2: Auger-Aliassime to lose less than five games