Three of the standout three-year-olds of this generation, Apocalyptic, Green Spaces, and Savvy Hallie, appear poised for significant spring carnival campaigns following impressive barrier trial efforts at Rosehill Gardens this morning.

The Michael Freedman-trained Apocalyptic was not unduly taxed in her 900m heat but still managed to secure a narrow win in 55.57 seconds, with a final 600m sectional of 33.41s. She finished ahead of Chilly Girl.

1⃣ Apocalyptic
2⃣ Chilly Girl
3⃣ Headwall

A solid trial win for the @MFreedmanRacing mare, taking out a 900m Rosehill heat on Friday. Behind the placings were Private Eye, Screen Icon, Generosity, Mal Coupe and Lazzura. @tabcomau pic.twitter.com/aLV6yM5DHj

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) August 6, 2026

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Freedman gave Apocalyptic a lengthy spell after her autumn campaign, where the filly wasn’t at her best across two starts. Her trial performance suggests she is ready to recapture the outstanding form shown last spring, which included wins in the Group 2 Furious Stakes, Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes, and Group 1 Flight Stakes.

“I’m really happy with Apocalyptic, she seems to be in great order,” Freedman commented.

The filly is being pointed towards the Group 3 Toy Show Quality (1100m) at Royal Randwick in a fortnight, scheduled for August 22. Meanwhile, Chilly Girl, trained by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou and a winner of the Widden Stakes, showed her class competing against older horses.

Apocalyptic’s trial victory was hard-earned, with only a half-length separating the top four finishers. Headwall claimed third, and Private Eye finished fourth, both producing eye-catching efforts.

Headwall, a candidate for The Everest, is on the comeback trail and is being readied for a return in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Royal Randwick next month. Private Eye, the durable nine-year-old with close to $13 million in prize money, has maintained fitness from a Brisbane winter campaign and is set to defend his title in the Group 2 Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 15.

“He’s a great, old horse,” said Pride of Private Eye.

“It’s a pleasure to train him, he’s so tough and is going really well. He will be hard to beat at Caulfield next week.”

Chris Waller’s mares, Generosity and Lazzura, were given very low-key trials behind Apocalyptic.

In the opening Group and Listed barrier trial over 1000m, Matcha Latte finished strongly to defeat Stardom in 59.99 seconds. Cherry Bomshell, winner of the Group 2 Percy Sykes Stakes, ran a pleasing third, just ahead of the Australian Derby hero Green Spaces.

Godolphin’s Green Spaces, prepared by Bjorn Baker, finished the trial powerfully and is on track for a return in the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on August 22.

The Matthew Smith-trained Idle Flyer, a winner of the Queen Of The Turf Stakes last autumn, had an easy trial but showed good closing speed to finish sixth, less than two lengths behind Matcha Latte.

Idle Flyer, a stablemate of Headwall, is expected to resume in either the Toy Show Quality or the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) on Winx Stakes Day.

The third Group and Listed trial at Rosehill was won by Savvy Hallie. The Brad Widdup-trained Savvy Hallie, who previously defeated Apocalyptic in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes and was narrowly beaten in the Group 1 Surround Stakes, led for most of her 900m trial to win by nearly two lengths in 56.09 seconds.

El Castello showed good early speed to claim second, just ahead of Declichy Boulevard, while emerging three-year-old Berzelius finished the trial strongly to take fourth.

Punters interested in the Toy Show Quality can find the latest racing odds from top Australian betting sites.

Betting sites are a great resource for the upcoming races.

Ric Flair is known for his flamboyant promos and extravagant pro wrestling career that included several world championship runs across multiple promotions at his peak.

Outside the ring, Flair has seemingly been in an off-again-on-again relationship with Wendy Barlow. The two separated in 2024. In an unusual manner, the 77-year-old announced that he and Barlow were getting close again.

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Wendy Barlow and Ric Flair attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans at Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif., on Feb. 25, 2020. (Getty Images)

“I Told You. It Was Only A Matter Of Time Until You Came Running Back!! At Least I Know I Am In Good Hands Because You Have Always Taken The Best Care Of Me Out Of Anyone In The Whole World,” Flair wrote in a post on X on Sunday.

“She Finally Figured Out There Is Only One Ric Flair And One James Bond, And Currently Ric Flair Is Available For Any Kind Of Action. Let’s See If Wendy Still Has It! LFG!”

On Monday, Flair clarified his original post.

“Wendy And I Are Not Renewing A Relationship. We Are Renewing A 34 Year Friendship. She Has Her Own Residence And I Have Mine. She Is Coming To Tampa Primarily To Take Care Of Her Parents, Who Are Both In Their 80s And Not In Good Health,” he wrote on X. “Wendy Will Continue To Do What She Does Best, Travel The World, And Help People Who Are Struggling In Other Countries. I’ll Resume What I Do And Love Most Which Is Attending Public Events And Signing Autographs At Meet & Greets.

“Please Don’t Turn Something Positive Into Something Negative. If That’s All You Have To Do, Find Something Better To Do. The One Part I Am Sure Of, Which She Reminds Me Whenever We Speak, Is That She Will Always Be There For Me If I Get Sick Again, And I Was SICK For Two Years! Her Whole Family Took Care Of Me. Find Someone Else To Hate On! Wendy And I Are Good.”

Wendy Barlow, Josh Reddick and Ric Flair are pictured at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas, on Aug. 21, 2019. (Getty Images)

Flair announced he and Barlow split after being in a relationship for 13 years.

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He was previously married to Leslie Goodman, Elizabeth Harrell, Tiffany VanDemark and Jaqueline Beems, according to TMZ Sports. He has four children — two with Goodman and two with Harrell.

Flair has been in and out of wrestling for the last few years. His so-called “Last Match” took place in 2022 — a tag-team match with his then-son-in-law, the wrestler known as Andrade, against Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal. He later revealed he passed out twice during the match.

Flair made his All Elite Wrestling debut in 2023 and was a brief part of Sting’s final professional match at AEW Revolution where Sting and Darby Allin took on the Young Bucks.

Ric Flair stands with fiancée Wendy Barlow prior to the 101st Indianapolis 500 on May 28, 2017, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Ind. (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

He was a World Championship Wrestling world heavyweight champion eight times, National Wrestling Alliance world heavyweight champion nine times and a WWE champion twice during his career.

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The WWE inducted Flair into its Hall of Fame in 2008 as a singles wrestler and as a member of the Four Horsemen in 2012.

Most don’t see Vikings receiver Myles Price as a Vikings receiver. After all, he was almost exclusively a returner as a rookie, but that could be changing.

Special teams coordinator Matt Daniels stepped in front of the Minnesota media a couple days ago. Getting asked about Price led to the underrated coach calling Price “day and night” in his improvement. In fact, Daniels is offering that assessment on behalf of the “offensive guys,” playing the role of messenger. Quite possibly, that update will foreshadow an increased role as Price pushes for the WR4 job in the Twin Cities.

Vikings Receiver Myles Price is Pushing for Reps

Nobody is going to mistake Mr. Price for Calvin Johnson. Standing at 5’9″ and weighing roughly 185 pounds, Price is somebody who thrives due to shiftiness, grit, and acceleration rather than being a hulking bruiser.

How good can he become?

That’s an ongoing debate that’s still being answered. As a rookie, Price played just 17 snaps for Kevin O’Connell and Wes Phillips. In contrast, Price put in 139 snaps for Coach Daniels on specials, proving to be a weapon for the group that has been lacking a true threat at returner for several years.

Of the two options — kickoff and punt — Myles Price is more of a natural at punt returner.

He turned 30 punt returns into 298 yards in 2025. The 9.9 yards-per-return average is healthy and the long of 43 yards is promising. Onlookers can sometimes be quick to note that Price could have been more potent had it not been for some ill-timed penalties.

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As a kickoff returner, Price also did some good things, averaging 25.9 yards. He’s not Cordarrelle Patterson or Percy Harvin back there but solid enough. His long went for 61 yards.

So much of what makes Price compelling is that he offers swagger. Who can thrive as a returner without outsized confidence? An NFL punt can travel 45 yards while hanging in the air for 4.5 to 5 seconds. The returner needs to track the ball with the understanding that 11 massive and explosive athletes are sprinting down the field trying to land a huge hit. Not for the faint of heart.

Turning that special teams promise into production on offense would represent a nice boost for the Vikings.

Daniels, for his part, was quick to praise how Price has improved on offense while nevertheless bringing things back around to special teams. “He’s consistently been making plays out here from an offensive standpoint,” Daniels says before pivoting. “From a returner standpoint, it’s how good can we be at premium ball security?”

Price had 4 fumbles last year.

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“We all know Myles is a very aggressive guy when it turns to returning balls,” Daniels notes, “but we just have to make sure that those aggressive decisions don’t lead to reckless actions afterwards.”

No doubt, that’s a tough balance. Putting a home run batter into the lineup means accepting some strikeouts. Can the same be said of a returner who has the capacity to chew up the field?

Myles Price slipped out of the 2025 NFL Draft despite playing strong football for the Indiana Hoosiers. He then got added in Minnesota with guaranteed money coming in at $0. Price, in short, has earned everything through plenty of hard work.

The sophomore is 24.

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Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

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Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy returned to practice on Monday for the first time since his wife was shot at their Virginia home last month.

The couple’s 27-year-old son, Elijah Bieniemy, was arrested following the shooting, which took place on the evening of July 26.

Bieniemy was greeted by a handful of fans on Monday as he walked down the long hill to the training fields at Missouri Western State University, where the Chiefs are holding their pre-season training camp. He subsequently jumped right into his first practice since Mia Bieniemy was shot.

Elijah Bieniemy has been charged with malicious wounding, the use of a firearm in commission of a felony and discharge of a firearm inside a dwelling. His court appearances have been delayed after he was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation.

Eric Bieniemy, who returned to the Chiefs earlier this year, had been staying in touch with coach Andy Reid and the rest of the staff, and had been watching streams of some practices. In one case, he called Chiefs manager Brett Veach — who was sitting next to Reid — and asked him to hand over the phone, then proceeded to tell the head coach a point of instruction for a running back.

Eric Bieniemy was part of coaching staffs that helped Kansas City reach three Super Bowls and win two of them.

But because Reid is the primary play-caller, Bieniemy left to serve as the offensive coordinator with the Washington Commanders, where he would be able to call his own plays and perhaps better position himself for a head coaching job in the NFL.

The Commanders struggled in his lone season there, though, and Bieniemy and the rest of the staff were let go. He spent a season with UCLA and last season coaching the running backs with the Chicago Bears before returning to Kansas City as the offensive coordinator.

He replaced Matt Nagy, who was hired as the offensive coordinator of the New York Giants.

Eric Bieniemy rejoins the team with the 2026 season just over a month away. The Chiefs are due to take on the Denver Broncos in their opening game on September 14.

PV Sindhu (Photo by @BAI_Media on X)

PV Sindhu has reacted to the unusual but detailed preparations being made to keep animals away from the BWF World Championships in New Delhi.The tournament begins on August 17, with organisers taking extra precautions after pigeons and a monkey disrupted the India Open earlier this year.Organisers have even hired three men who can imitate langur calls to scare monkeys away.“You can laugh at the solution, but you have to love the effort,” PV Sindhu wrote on X.“So many people are working behind the scenes to make sure India is ready to welcome the world. Our solutions may be uniquely Indian, but so are our warmth, our spirit and our hospitality. Can’t wait for the badminton world to experience it all in Delhi. See you soon!”“Monkeys are very afraid of langurs, which are much bigger than them, so when we make these sounds, monkeys usually flee. We have worked in the South and North Block in New Delhi and Gurgaon previously. It is very effective,” Zafar, one of the men, said.The Badminton Association of India (BAI) and Sports Authority of India (SAI) have upgraded the Indira Gandhi Stadium ahead of the World Championships, which return to India after 17 years. Vents have been sealed, wooden doors replaced with double-door entrances and an automatic outer door installed.Organisers have also used a non-toxic gel around the stadium’s ducting to keep birds and insects away. Machines producing sounds similar to predatory birds have been placed inside the venue as another deterrent.SAI Executive Director Ambar Pratap Singh said officials are working with the MCD to prevent monkeys and stray dogs from entering the wider campus.“We have introduced double doors, automatic closing system… now it is not possible for monkeys to enter the arena. As far as the whole campus is concerned, there can be a possibility (of stray monkeys) but we are in touch with the MCD. For dogs also we are regularly in touch with the MCD. They will do whatever is there to be done… send them (dogs) to shelters,” he said.

While having crafted a reputation of chasing the biggest challenges, Devin Haney has nonetheless been accused of running “scared” from an outspoken rival.

Despite what some might say, ‘The Dream’ has repeatedly displayed his appetite for legacy-defining opportunities, hence why he fought pound-for-pound legend Vasyl Lomachenko at just 24 years old.

Back then, in 2023, Haney proved many of his detractors wrong by claiming a unanimous, albeit contentious, points victory for the undisputed lightweight crown.

More recently, the American proved his willingness to roll the dice against Brian Norman Jr, a vicious puncher who he dethroned with a unanimous decision triumph in November.

But despite becoming a three-division world champion, and remaining unbeaten, Haney has been blamed for swerving a unification match with WBA champion Rolando Romero.

The two welterweights were in negotiations earlier this year, only for both to go their separate ways after a deal proved difficult to reach.

As a result, ‘Rolly’ is now gearing up to defend his title against Teofimo Lopez on August 22, having been upgraded from ‘regular’ to full WBA champion following his victory over Ryan Garcia in May 2025.

Speaking with Fight Hub TV, the 30-year-old insisted that fans might as well abandon their hopes for a future showdown with Haney.

“Me and Devin are never going to fight because he is scared of me.”

With Keyshawn Davis pulling out of their mandated contest, WBO champion Haney is now searching for a new opponent to face later this year.

Potential options include Jack Catterall and IBF champion Liam Paro, who reportedly priced himself out of negotiations but could perhaps return with a more realistic figure in mind.

While Ronald Araujo was undergoing his medical, Liverpool only actually had one fit senior centre-back on their books. And he, typically, was the oldest of the lot. Virgil van Dijk may have made an inauspicious start to his pre-season, conceding a penalty in Sunday’s 3-2 defeat to Monaco, but Liverpool’s 35-year-old marathon man pronounced himself ready to go again this year.

Van Dijk is conscious of his age, which feels more notable when two of Liverpool’s other three main central defenders are 19 and 21 respectively, in Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet. The Dutchman did not gravitate to Anfield until he was 26, but hopes that starting late will extend his career.

It has already brought 731 games for clubs and country, but the most remarkable numbers came last season. No footballer in Europe’s top five leagues played more minutes than Van Dijk: some 6,121, including 4,941 for Liverpool. He did not miss a minute in their Premier League campaign, nor in the Netherlands’ World Cup.

With Leoni and Jacquet yet to feature in pre-season, with Joe Gomez injured, Liverpool could rely again on Van Dijk, even with Araujo set to join on loan from Barcelona. He is prepared for another heavy workload. “Are you going to say I’m 35 years old and I can’t do it?” he asked. “At the end of the day, you have to look after yourself. You have to be, I wouldn’t say lucky, but you have to do everything in your power.

“That is the bare minimum for me because I feel the responsibility to be ready for each and every game. We play every three days. Between games, at home, at the training ground, you have to do everything in your power to be ready to play again. For me, I feel good. I am also a late bloomer so you know, maybe… it is what it is. I feel fine.”

Which may be a relief. When, for once, Van Dijk requested time off, it was to sit out friendlies on the other side of the Atlantic. Ryan Gravenberch, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak also exited the World Cup in the last 32 and returned to the United States for the end of the pre-season tour.

Van Dijk did not. “I definitely asked for a good break because I felt like I needed it, not only physically but mentally as well. It was a very demanding year from before pre-season started last year until the day I got knocked out of the World Cup,” he said. “I had maybe three days more than Ryan, Flo and Alex. I didn’t want to go to America because I didn’t want to get jet lag.” Instead, he had a couple of extra days at Liverpool’s training ground.

As it is, a return to duty has been busy. He has met Jacquet, a prospective centre-back partner now Ibrahima Konate is gone. “I’ve spoken to him,” he said of the Frenchman. “I’ve seen him walking around and we have conversations. I can’t wait to see him back on the pitch and I hope that happens very, very soon.”

His first outing of the campaign came alongside the teenager Ifeanyi Ndukwe. “Big talent, big guy,” he said of the 18-year-old Austrian who, unfortunately for Liverpool, does not yet qualify for a work permit. “The matter of fact is that he has to go on loan,” Van Dijk added. “Let’s see where he ends up.”

That increases the need to seal the loan move for Araujo. “Any player that will arrive to the club, we will be welcoming,” said the Dutchman. Liverpool’s squad looks slender at the moment. There may have been too few newcomers in the dressing room but there is one in the dugout, in Andoni Iraola. Van Dijk takes his responsibilities as captain seriously and extended the same offer to the Spaniard that he did to his predecessor.

“We had a great conversation in the first week when it got announced and the main thing for him to know is that I am here for him regardless: anything he needs, wants to know, wants me to do for the team, I am here for him,” he said. “I liked working under Arne [Slot] and I am sure I will like working under the new manager.”

With Konate, Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah going, Liverpool could have a younger team, making Van Dijk more of an anomaly. “It definitely feels like a bit of a transition, for sure,” he said. “It is down to everyone associated with Liverpool to make sure we are building something that will be successful for years to come.”

In the last season of his contract, nearer his 40th birthday than his 30th, Van Dijk may not be there for years to come, but the late bloomer is determined to remain in flower deep into the autumn of his career.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru is nearing its second anniversary, with BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia recalling the work that went into setting up the facility.Saikia credited former BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who is now the International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman, with pushing the project and bringing officials together to ensure it was completed.“He took everybody on board in BCCI’s Apex Council and made a firm decision that this establishment (CoE) has to be done on a war footing, and we need to move on from the old, temporary arrangement of National Cricket Academy,” Saikia told select media at the BCCI CoE.Laxman, Head of Cricket at CoE, recalled moving from Hyderabad to Bengaluru in 2021 after Shah and then BCCI president Sourav Ganguly approached him.“In 2021, when Jay and then BCCI president Sourav (Ganguly) reached out to me, saying that Rahul (Dravid) is moving to the Indian team as the head coach, and we want that continuity.”“It was a tough decision for me. But as a cricketer, I always thought that it’s the responsibility of former cricketers who benefited through this great game to contribute back to the game. And with that intention, obviously, I moved to Bangalore in December 2021,” he said.Laxman also recalled Shah’s involvement in the project and his regular participation in meetings with the architects and L&T team.“In the span of close to two years, the entire infrastructure was up and running. And huge credit to Jay, because he was the secretary of the BCCI and I myself seen firsthand how much interest he used to take in various meetings we used to have with the architects, with the L&T team, to make sure that each and every aspect of the COE, or then NCA, is taken care of.“And it’s great to see that, you know, the vision was translated into reality. And I think all leaders have vision. But the vision will only bear the fruit when it’s translated into reality. And that reality is what we’ve seen in 2024, November,” he said.