Trainer Paul Murray from Kembla Grange has perpetuated his family’s notable tie to the Wagga Cup carnival, claiming the $200,000 Town Plate with Harry’s Bar.
Paul’s father, the iconic South Coast trainer Bede who has passed, initiated trips to the major country carnival back in the 1970s, frequently securing wins such as the Wagga Gold Cup (2000m) aboard Vanquished and Town Plate (1200m) on Scorpio.
Thursday saw Paul Murray enhance the family record when Harry’s Bar ($9) collared early leader Love Shuck ($61) to win by three-quarters of a length, as Bandi’s Boy ($11) finished purposefully for third, two lengths in arrears.
With a limited operation at Kembla Grange, this success represents Murray’s second feature victory over the preceding six months, after Where’s The Circus’s success in the Inglis Nursery (1000m) at Randwick during December.
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Nevertheless, the family’s longstanding involvement in the two-day Wagga carnival lent special meaning to Harry’s Bar’s performance.
“It’s unbelievable. I was only a boy when we used to come down with Dad,” Murray told Sky Racing.
“We had a runner after (Scorpio), Sure And Fast, and I think he ran second or third in it, but this is my first runner.”
For Harry’s Bar, it was win number three from 16 starts, merited by her dependability following second place in the Gosford Provincial-Midway Country Championships heat and a bold fifth in the Final to Lord Of Biscay.
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“She is just a very good mare,” Murray said.
“She gives you two hundred per cent. Every time you go to the races you know you’re going to get a run for your money.
She loves a fight, and I’ve never seen a mare as tough as her.”
Murray hasn’t settled on Harry’s Bar’s upcoming targets but indicated interest in the Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) at Scone in two weeks’ time.
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Steadfast rider Jean Van Overmeire steered Harry’s Bar to victory, doubling up earlier on the day with Brutal Belle from Luke Pepper’s yard.
The carnival proceeds Friday with the Wagga Gold Cup, in which Travolta trained by Chris Waller is $3.20 top pick.
Discover leading racing betting markets ahead of the Wagga Town Plate carnival’s highlight.
Mark Allen missed a simple black to book his place in his first World Snooker Championship final before falling 17-16 to Wu Yize in one of the most dramatic last-four finishes in Crucible history.
The 40-year-old Antrim man had the match at his mercy when he got on top of an error-strewn 32nd frame and required just the black off its spot to wrap up a 17-15 win.
But incredibly Allen rattled the pocket, leaving Wu an unexpected chance to haul level at 16-16 and set up a pressure-filled decider in front of a raucous Sheffield crowd.
Allen shut out his nightmare brilliantly, easing into a 47-point lead before an unlucky split on the reds left him out of position and ultimately let in the nerveless 22-year-old to cue up a brilliant 71 clearance to win 17-16 and set up a final against Shaun Murphy.
Shell-shocked Allen told BBC Sport: “You don’t deserve to be in a world final if you’re missing balls like that. It was just pure pressure, to be honest.
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“Even though I’m devastated to lose that match I think the right person’s in the final. The way he plays is great for the game, he scores heavily and pots some ridiculous long balls. He’s going to win many world titles.”
Saturday’s last two sessions provided a stunning antidote to Friday night’s notorious 100-minute frame that former champion Steve Davis had dubbed an “embarrassment”.
In a session that saw two swift re-racks, Allen consistently nudged one frame clear only to be hauled back repeatedly by the free-scoring Chinese star, who drilled long reds and seemed almost impervious to the mounting pressure.
The pivotal moment looked to have arrived in frame 30 when Wu missed a simple red to the middle, letting Allen move to the brink of victory at 16-14 – only for the irresistible Wu to fire back and force the dramatic conclusion.
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Earlier, Murphy twice overturned a two-frame deficit in the final session against Higgins as he was forced to dredge up his best form to see off the 50-year-old Scot.
Their clash looked nailed-on for a decider until Higgins fluffed a black on a break of 50, gifting Murphy the chance to get over the line at the second attempt.
Murphy told the BBC: “I just came out today knowing if I got my chances I could score. At the interval I was just saying to myself, ‘you’ve done it before, now you can do it again’.
“But John Higgins – what a player and what a man. The harder it gets out there, the tougher he gets and the better he plays. If I’m half the player when I’m in my 50s, I’ll be very proud.”
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Resuming the final session 13-11 in arrears, Murphy started in scintillating fashion with two total clearances to haul level, only for the Scot to chisel out the next two to restore his two-frame lead.
Murphy’s fourth century of the match sparked another surge after the interval, and as Higgins began to miss some easy balls, the 43-year-old Murphy went into overdrive, winning the last four in a row to confirm victory.
Higgins paid tribute to Murphy, saying: “The way Shaun hit the ball in that session was incredible. He just hits it like God.
“I’m disappointed but what can you do. As you get older your action starts to go a little bit at the most extreme points of the match, but take nothing away, Shaun was awesome and he’s got a great chance of going on to win it for a second time.”
Should Tommy Berry secure his maiden $1 million The Archer victory, gratitude would go to jockey peer James McDonald.
For the Sunday Rockhampton main event, Berry steps in on the Tony and Maddysen Sears-prepared Yellow Brick, as McDonald passed on the initial offer for a family holiday already arranged.
McDonald piloted Yellow Brick successfully twice, with wins including the gelding’s most recent at the Gold Coast in January, and he enthusiastically recommended Berry make the North Queensland journey.
“They asked James McDonald, and he was away on holidays, so he asked if I’d be interested,” Berry said.
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“He gave him a pretty good wrap and said the horse gets in well at the weights with 56-1/2 kilos.
“I know Maddy and her father, but I haven’t ridden for them before, I don’t believe. So it was through James I got the ride there and decided to go up.”
Bearing nine rides at Rockhampton with two wins and two placings to his name, Berry enters The Archer (1300m) for the first time via Yellow Brick.
He lined up for Better Get Set some years prior, only for that contender to be scratched on race day.
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“I also rode there on Newmarket day four or five years ago and I think I rode a couple of winners out of five rides. That was the first time I ever went there,” Berry said.
“Yellow Brick is definitely ready to go. His last trial was sharp and in good time, so the team has him primed for the race.
“They’re very confident and James gave it a very good push. He really liked him.”
Arriving in Rockhampton wraps up an intense few days for Berry, featuring the Wagga Carnival Thursday-Friday and Hawkesbury’s Saturday standalone.
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He’ll keep flying high with Brisbane commitments dominating the winter carnival schedule.
“This week is hard because we’ve got Wagga on the Thursday and Friday, but I do enjoy going to different places and supporting the clubs,” Berry said.
“I’m going to be up in Brisbane for pretty much the whole carnival now, so the travel is something you’ve got to get used to.”
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Golden Tempo won the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, making Cherie DeVaux the first woman to train the winner of the opening leg of the Triple Crown.
The horse charged down the stretch to make history for DeVaux in the 1 1/8-mile race. Renegade was second and long shot Ocelli third.
DeVaux is just the second female trainer to win any Triple Crown race after Jena Antonucci with Arcangelo in the 2023 Belmont Stakes. She won the Derby in her first opportunity, eight years after starting her own stable.
During the week, DeVaux shifted from downplaying what it would mean to be the first woman to train a Derby winner to understanding she’s a role model to girls who might want to follow in her footsteps someday. She’s just the 18th woman to saddle a horse in the Kentucky Derby.
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Jockey Jose Ortiz showed off the riding prowess that has made him so successful at Churchill Downs in recent days to win the Derby for the first time in his 11th try. He beat brother Irad, who rode Renegade, to that accomplishment.
The race went on with just 18 horses after Great White was a late scratch for flipping and throwing his jockey.
Nigeria women’s national under-20 football team moved closer to qualifying for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after defeating Malawi women’s national under-20 football team 2-0 in the first leg of their qualifier on Saturday in Ikenne.
The Nigerian side struggled to break down Malawi in the opening half as both teams went into the break without a goal.
Just moments after the restart, the Falconets took the lead when a dangerous cross into the penalty area caused confusion in Malawi’s defence, forcing Kenneth Maureen to score an own goal.
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Nigeria continued to push forward and doubled their advantage 10 minutes later through Ifeanyi Kindness. The forward calmly rounded the goalkeeper before placing the ball into the empty net.
Coach Moses Aduku and his players will now head into the second leg with confidence as they aim to complete qualification for the tournament.
Nigeria are chasing one of Africa’s four tickets for the competition and remain one of the most successful teams in the history of the tournament.
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The Falconets have qualified for every edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and finished as runners-up twice, losing to Germany women’s national under-20 football team in the finals of 2010 and 2014.
The 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup will take place in Poland from September 5 to September 27, 2026.
The Indiana Fever wrap up their 2026 preseason schedule Saturday night against the Nigerian national team.
Caitlin Clark was not listed on the injury report entering the game. Concerns arose about her health and immediate availability after she collided with a Dallas Wings player in Thursday’s preseason matchup. She limped to the bench but appeared to walk it off during a replay review that resulted in a Flagrant 1 call.
Clark returned to make two free throws before spending the remainder of the game on the sideline.
Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever brings the ball up court against Azzi Fudd of the Dallas Wings during the first half of a preseason game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on April 30, 2026.(Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
She finished with a team-high 21 points. Clark made two of her three attempted three-pointers, while knocking down 11 of 13 from the free throw line. She also had two rebounds, four assists and one steal in the contest.
Two days later, the two-time All-Star is available for Saturday night’s game despite the injury scare.
A string of injuries sidelined Clark in 2025, limiting the NCAA’s all-time scoring leader to 13 games in her second WNBA season. The injury woes last year included a groin strain followed by an ankle bone bruise.
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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark plays during the first half against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on Apr. 25, 2026.(John Jones/Imagn Images)
Ahead of the WNBA’s milestone 30th season, ESPN ranked the league’s top 50 active players. Back-to-back MVP and defending WNBA champion A’ja Wilson led the list at No. 1. She was also ESPN’s top-ranked player entering 2025. Clark was the No. 10 player on the list.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark shoots the ball in the second half against the Dallas Wings at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on April 30, 2026.(Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)
Indiana appears to be getting healthy ahead of the regular season, with Fever center Aliyah Boston expected to make her debut Saturday. She missed the first two exhibition games after suffering an injury while playing in Unrivaled. Fever guard Ty Harris was also cleared to play Saturday.
The Fever open the regular season on May 9 in Dallas against the Wings.
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Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
Fernando Mendoza responded to a question Saturday about whether he will visit President Donald Trump at the White House to celebrate the Indiana Hoosiers’ historic college football championship.
Mendoza said that he “believed” the scheduled date of the visit, May 11, was the first day of the Las Vegas Raiders’ organized team activities (OTAs). But he was incorrect, as the Raiders’ OTAs don’t start until May 18.
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft by the Las Vegas Raiders, attends a news conference at the Raiders Headquarters in Henderson, Nev., on April 24, 2026.(Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
“If it is on the first day of OTAs, like I said, I’m on the bottom of the totem pole here, I got to prove myself, I can’t miss practice,” Mendoza told reporters at a Raiders press conference on Saturday. “As a rookie, I don’t think that’s a good look. I want to try to best serve my teammates, and I don’t think that would be accomplishing that goal.”
The Raiders don’t have anything in their offseason program scheduled for May 11.
Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza looks on during warmups before the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Jan. 19, 2026.(Sam Navarro/Imagn Images)
Mendoza led Indiana to the college football championship and the first 16-0 season in the modern history of the sport. The team announced it was visiting the White House to celebrate the accomplishment on Friday.
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Mendoza became one of the biggest names in the sport during his heroics for Indiana last season, en route to the Heisman Trophy. He was the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders.
President Donald Trump hosts NCAA collegiate national champions at the White House in this April 2026 photo.(Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The other college football champions who went on to be the No. 1 overall picks, Trevor Lawrence and Joe Burrow, each visited Trump at the White House in the president’s first term. Lawrence visited in 2019 and Burrow went in 2020.
Now, all eyes turn to Mendoza, who etched his name in college football history and the hearts of many football fans, to see if he will make the trip once realizing that OTAs are not on the same day as the visit.
Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
Paul Heyman was spotted by eagle-eyed WWE fans on SmackDown this week, in the background of a backstage segment between Fraxiom and R-Truth.
Heyman was seen talking with Adam Pearce, but this was the only time The Oracle made an appearance this week. It seems that this was a significant moment on the show, since this later led to Gunther’s return to the brand.
Thanks for the submission!
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Gunther was on RAW when he was battling Seth Rollins ahead of WrestleMania, but it seems that Heyman had something to do with his move over to SmackDown and his shot at Cody Rhodes.
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Real reason behind Reigns vs. Fatu revealed – Check here!
There is a belief that WWE was showing fans that this was the favor that Gunther asked for from Heyman, which could also confirm that Brock Lesnar has retired.
Gunther vs Brock Lesnar was believed to be Paul Heyman’s favor
There was major speculation that Gunther would push for Brock Lesnar to make his return so that he could be added to his retirement list, but it seems that this isn’t the case.
Gunther could have instead asked for Paul Heyman to talk to Pearce and help him get a shot for the WWE Championship, since Roman Reigns is busy with Jacob Fatu on RAW. Cody Rhodes appears to be a better target for The Ring General, and now he has his eyes on the prize ahead of Backlash.
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Gunther protected Heyman from Seth Rollins when Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed were sidelined, which left him indebted to the Austrian star, and now it appears that he has decided to cash in.
There is no other reason why Pearce and Paul Heyman would need to speak, since The Vision is on RAW. WWE also made a point of showing the two men talking to make it clear it’s connected. This could be confirmed if the two men have a backstage segment next week, since Gunther should have his shot at the World Championship confirmed for Backlash momentarily.
It will be interesting to see if Gunther can dethrone Rhodes or if Backlash will see the return of Randy Orton, who could still have a bone to pick with Rhodes after WrestleMania 42.
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New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. became a talking point on the internet because fans thought he was wearing an AirPod in the field.
Chisholm, 28, clarified that it was actually a piece of cotton in his ear canal because of an earache. In the Yankees’ win over the Texas Rangers on Monday, Chisholm took a grounder to the head. When he tried to field a ground ball, it kicked off his glove and clocked him in the head.
“It gave me an earache for like three or four days,” Chisholm told The Athletic.
New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. reacts after initially being called out before a replay overturned the call, resulting in an infield single during the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York, on May 1, 2026.(Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)
Chisholm said he could barely hear out of his right ear and wore actual AirPods in the clubhouse to block out the noise. He used the noise-cancellation mode, trying to keep things as quiet as possible.
“Right now,” he said, “I’m feeling better. … My right ear was ringing for like three days.”
Chisholm has not missed any time and said he didn’t think it affected him. As the conversation continued to rage on about the cotton in his ear, he took to his Instagram Story to show it wasn’t an AirPod.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees looks on during a game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on April 28, 2026.(Kelcee Skoug/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
“All y’all just ain’t the smartest,” Chisholm captioned his picture with a shrug and laughing emoji.
He said the conversation around the cotton in his ear was “not smart.”
“I think that’s not smart at all,” Chisholm said. “I think no umpire would let it go through. No coach would let that happen. You know what I mean? I just feel like … and you would have seen a phone in my back pocket or something. I mean, AirPods don’t reach that far. So for me, it’s just like, I just didn’t think it was a smart thing. I feel like everything I do is on the media. I don’t mind it.
New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. and first baseman Ben Rice fist-bump as they run off the field after the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on April 27, 2026.(Raymond Carlin III/Imagn Images)
“If you guys love me that much, s—. I don’t mind it. I have no problem with it.”
Chisholm is off to a slow start this season but has started to pick it up lately. He has a .205 batting average with three home runs, 10 RBI and nine stolen bases.
Fusion Fix and GTA 4 have had a long relationship, but version 5.0 is the most substantial update the mod has seen in a while. Shared by @Ash_735 on X, this release takes the already impressive fix collection and pushes it further with native ambient occlusion, a comprehensive overhaul of high frame rate script issues, graphical restorations from the Xbox 360 version, and a long list of bug fixes that have been sitting in the game for years.
For anyone who tried the PC version of GTA 4 in the past and ran into performance or visual issues, this update directly addresses most of what made that experience frustrating.
GTA 4 Fusion Fix v5.0 is the reason to replay the game in 2026
The post was shared by @Ash_735 on X, and one of the headline additions on the visual side is native Ambient Occlusion, accessible directly from the Graphics menu. AO makes objects and environments look physically grounded rather than flat, adding depth to scenes in a way that the base PC version never had.
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Alongside that, several visual behaviours from the Xbox 360 version have been restored and brought to PC. The key graphical changes include:
Vehicle tires and damage now cast accurate shadows.
Console Gamma now applies to the full screen.
Depth of Field and Sun Shafts now render correctly.
MSAA now applies to vehicle, water, interior, and mirror reflections
Rain droplet refraction restored.
We know that the PC version of GTA 4 has been notorious for breaking at higher frame rates. Fusion Fix v5.0 takes a serious run at fixing that. These physics were highly FPS-dependent, and now they’re fixed. You’ll eventually notice differences in riding and handling different vehicles.
The script overhaul in v5.0 is broad. A few of the more noticeable fixes include a new ‘Disable Wardrobe Transition’ option that removes the slow screen fades when changing clothes, and an ‘Instant Stop Taxi’ option that stops taxis immediately after skipping journeys rather than letting the driver meander to a random stop.
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There are also fixes for the Lost clubhouse memorial wall crash, delayed character animations in several missions, and a crash linked to entering the clubhouse from the roof. The DLC episodes also receive some long-overdue attention, including restored friend respect gain for Armando and Henrique in TBoGT after hangouts with Luis, and restored voice lines for Jim, Terry, and Clay during the hi-lo cards minigame in TLAD.
Taken together, Fusion Fix v5.0 is not just a patch for a few annoyances. It is a genuine argument for going back to GTA 4 in 2026 and experiencing the PC version in a state it probably should have been in from launch. With GTA 6 on the horizon and the appetite for revisiting the series at a natural high, the timing could not be better.
Jincy Roese scored 4:30 into overtime as the Minnesota Frost defeated the Montreal Victoire 5-4 in Game 1 of their Professional Women’s Hockey League semifinal series on Saturday.
The win at Place Bell gives Minnesota a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-five series, taking home-ice advantage away from the regular-season champion Victoire.
Katy Knoll, Kendall Coyne Schofield, Grace Zumwinkle, and Sidney Morin also scored for the defending Walter Cup champion Frost. Taylor Heise, Kelly Pannek and Klara Hymlarova had two assists each, while Maddie Rooney made 21 saves as she extended a personal six-game playoff winning streak.
Laura Stacey, with a hat trick, and Shiann Darkangelo scored for Montreal. Ann-Renee Desbiens made 24 saves. Marie-Philip Poulin and Abby Roque each had two assists.
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The game really turned up a notch in the second period as seven of the nine goals in the game were scored after the opening 20 minutes.
With 47.1 seconds left in the second, with Minnesota holding a 3-2 lead, Frost forward Britta Curl-Salemme was called for a hit to the head of Kaitlin Willoughby and was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct.
On the ensuing power play 2:56 into the third period, Stacey took a pass after a line change and fired a shot from the right circle past Rooney.
Minnesota answered right back, with Morin scoring a short-handed goal on the same Curl-Salemme penalty with a shot from the top of the circles that went five-hole on Desbiens. It was the second time Minnesota scored while a Montreal goal was being announced.
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It was then Montreal’s turn to respond. After Morin took a penalty on the ensuing shift, Stacey completed the hat trick when she charged the net to put home a rebound in the crease into the open net. It was her second power-play goal of the game.
The three goals came in a span of 1:50, with Minnesota scoring 50 seconds after Stacey’s second goal and Stacey scoring one minute after Morin’s 4-3 goal.
Minnesota opened the scoring with 11:24 left in the first period when Knoll drove the net and scored on a backhand feed from Klara Hymlarova off the side wall.
The Frost doubled their lead late in the first period on the power play. Heise skated the puck down low and put it towards the crease where Coyne Schofield got a stick on it and it trickled past Desbiens.
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Montreal cut the deficit to 2-1 when Darkangelo potted a rebound off of a Kati Tabin shot just 2:45 into the second period.
The goal came a couple of minutes after a great Desbiens save on Heise. Heise broke in alone behind the Victoire defence, and deked out the Montreal goaltender but Desbiens managed to get a pad on the shot appearing to head toward the empty net.
Stacey tied the game when she scored on a wraparound with 2:11 remaining, sneaking the puck past Rooney.
Just 46 seconds after Montreal made the game 2-2, Zumwinkle picked up a loose bouncing puck and fired a shot over Desbiens to give Minnesota a 3-2 lead with 1:25 left in the second period.
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Game 2 will be played on Tuesday night at Place Bell.
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