During their scouting of New Zealand yearlings, elite syndicator Wylie Dalziel alongside Hall of Fame conditioner Peter Moody spotted a standout family connection with Oak Lightning.

Bred at Little Avondale Stud, the Per Incanto youngster is half-related to Desert Lightning—a Pride Of Dubai product who triumphed at Group 1 level in New Zealand before linking with Moody and co-trainer Katherine Coleman at Pakenham.

He further connects as brother to Lindsay Park’s Group 2 champion Oak Hill, but the page features a legendary relation amplified by Moody’s choice of Saturday’s Redoute’s Choice Stakes at Caulfield.

Dam Isstoora to Oak Lightning, Desert Lightning, and Oak Hill traces as granddaughter of Twyla, by Danehill from Shantha’s Choice, making her sister to Redoute’s Choice.

The elements surrounding Oak Lightning justified his NZ$200,000 Karaka Yearling Sale price tag, according to Dalziel.

“Moods obviously had Desert Lightning, so he took a line through him, and Oak Hill had only had a few starts (at the time) but looked alright and then when we came across him we thought, ‘what a nice colt this is,’” Dalziel recalled.

“There was enough in the pedigree, so we were happy we got him $200,000, fall of hammer,”

Oak Lightning’s ancestry includes Group 1 stars like Redoute’s Choice, Desert Lightning, alongside Al Maher, Platinum Scissors, Hurricane Sky, Gathering, Tom Kitten, and US Grade 1 winner In Italian.

This proven bloodline has Dalziel buoyed by Moody’s pick of the $175,000 Listed event for the initial outing.

The gelding notched two Pakenham trials end of last year and two more this campaign, including a strong 800m success on March 24 after racing wide but powering home easily.

Dalziel and Moody were initially downcast by gate 10 from 11 in the Redoute’s Choice Stakes, yet the 1200m race reduced to six entrants by Friday 1pm due to scratches.

“Moods doesn’t often throw his two-year-olds in the deep end like this, so he’s got a very good opinion of him, he just would have rather draw a good barrier to be a little bit more confident,” Dalziel said.

“It’s a two-year-old race, anything can happen. He might be back a bit, but he’ll hit the line hard.”

Linda Meech partners Oak Lightning, the second elect in wagering behind Farnan colt Drumfire and Home Affairs gelding Gin Twist, a Listed winner.

Visit online bookmakers for the best Redoute’s Choice Stakes betting options.

Abbie McManus has spoken about her life after football, following her retirement in 2023 due to a serious leg injury.

The former Manchester United Women defender has since taken a different path, training as a firefighter.

She said:

“I miss football massively, don’t get me wrong, but everything I miss about it – the routine, the training, being around people as part of a team, the banter… there’s all of that in the fire service.”

She explained that the transition has felt natural:

“There are so many parallels between what football and this gives me… instead of representing our football club it’s all about keeping the community safe.”

McManus revealed she had always considered a career outside football, but the injury forced the decision.

Being told her career was over, she admitted, “was a bitter pill to swallow,” but she chose to move forward.

“I decided to visit some local fire stations. I researched, I asked some questions, I applied, and I got in.”

Despite stepping away from professional football, she hasn’t completely left the game behind. She still plays occasionally and keeps up with matches.

Looking back, she also reflected on her time at the club:

“we were a proper family. We all dug in, and we had such togetherness to help each other.”

Justis Huni was forced to pull himself out of a “negative space” following the devastating and unexpected passing of his head coach, Keri Fui.

The pair were gearing up for a rematch with Kiki Leutele in December, which would have been Huni’s first outing since his dramatic showdown with Fabio Wardley.

But instead of fighting on the Gold Coast, the Australian was left to process the sudden loss of Fui, who ultimately died from a coma after collapsing in the gym.

Speaking with Boxing News, Huni recalled his emotions in the wake of this tragic event, where he and his strength and conditioning coach had offered medical assistance to their friend and teammate.

“It was difficult at the time. It was a big thing for myself and my S&C trainer, to lose someone so close to us.

“It set me back a fair bit. I didn’t train for a while, but I needed to come back. The only thing that was going to make me happy, and pull me out of that negative space, was getting back into training.

“I just had to take a bit of time for myself, but now it’s time for the comeback. [Fui] was like a best friend to me, not just a coach. So, when he passed away, I told myself that everything I do from here will be for myself and for him.”

Now training with Aussie coach Josh Arnold, it seems that Huni is determined to honour Fui with a victory in his next assignment, which will see him face Frazer Clarke on Saturday.

The pair will collide on the undercard of Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Huni returning to the UK following his 10th-round stoppage defeat to Wardley last June.

Prior to the finish, the 26-year-old had crafted a handy lead with his superior IQ and fluid movement, only for a signature right hand from Wardley to halt proceedings in stunning fashion.

Huni, however, has only benefited from the overall experience at Portman Road, the home of Ipswich Town Football Club.

“I enjoyed it. It was a big lesson to go over there, fighting in his backyard, and walk out to a full stadium of people booing me. But it was a good experience. It’s something I’ll never forget, and I took a lot away from it.

“I went into that fight with a short camp, a few injuries, and had no expectations. But I feel like that was the best I’ve ever fought, so I’ll be looking to come back over there and fight exactly the same [way].”

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While he must first take care of business against Clarke, Huni can certainly see himself entering a rematch with Wardley, the WBO world champion, at some point down the line.

“The Fabio Wardley fight was just a rare occasion; I never thought I would take a fight that big so early on in my career.

“But it happened, and I showed that I belong on that stage, so the sky’s the limit.

“I would love the rematch. I believe that with a full camp, and going into it injury-free, it would be a lot different.”

Wardley, of course, must remain focused on defending his WBO title against Daniel Dubois on May 9, while Huni has been presented with no easy touch against Olympic bronze medallist Clarke, either.

But while their potential rematch might seem a million miles away, Huni will surely be gunning for a revenge mission in the not too distant future.

For the 100th and potentially final time in their careers — including the playoffs — Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin will go head-to-head on Saturday before facing off again on Sunday. With Ovechkin on the final year of his contract and undecided about his future, the second half of the home-and-home may also be the final time fans get to witness one of the greatest individual rivalries hockey has ever seen.

In 2005-06, the NHL was coming out of a lockout year and desperately needed something to make the league relevant on the national stage again. As luck would have it, Crosby and Ovechkin would both take the ice for their rookie seasons for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals, respectively, sparking an epic rivalry that has now spanned two decades.

The two young superstars immediately delivered on the hype, combining for 91 goals and 208 points in that 2005-06 campaign. Ovechkin beat out Crosby for the Calder Trophy, but Crosby would score his fair share of blows in the 20 years that followed.

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Throughout the years, the two living legends have rewritten the history books, racked up awards, met in the playoffs four times and combined to win the Stanley Cup four times. It’s been an incredible run for two players who have strong arguments to be among the top 10 players of all-time.

Ovechkin is now the undisputed goal-scoring king, and Crosby has been a playmaking wizard in all three zones throughout his career. They’ve taken different paths to reach their respective places in hockey history, but longevity is a trait they share in common, and it has allowed Crosby and Ovechkin to land among the greatest to take the ice in every statistical category.

In their previous 99 head-to-head matchups, Crosby has the edge in wins (56-43), assists (79-50) and points (127-103). However, as is only appropriate, Ovechkin has Crosby beaten in goals, 53-48.

As Crosby and Ovechkin get set to do battle for the 100th (and possibly final) time, let’s not dwell on the idea that this great rivalry may be coming to an end — or how old that makes us feel. Instead, let’s look back at the best moments from the two greatest players of their generation.

Top Ovechkin vs. Crosby moments

5. All-Star weekend team-up

After 18 years of being pitted against one another, Crosby and Ovechkin teamed up for a more heartfelt moment at the 2023 All-Star Skills Competition. The rivals took the ice together and helped Ovechkin’s son, Sergei, beat Roberto Luongo on a breakaway.

Rivalries can’t be all hatred all the time, right? There have to be moments of respect and admiration for one another’s accomplishments. That’s happened more often in recent years, including Crosby and Penguins teammate Evgeni Malkin gifting Ovechkin a Rolex for breaking Wayne Gretzky’s goal record. The moment above just really signaled the thawing of their relationship in the latter years of their careers.

4. Ovi vs. Crosby: Episode 1

On Nov. 22, 2005, Crosby and Ovechkin met on the ice for the very first time, and they didn’t disappoint. Crosby’s Penguins won the game 5-4, and he was the more productive player, but both of them put on a show. Crosby scored a gorgeous goal when he split the Capitals’ defense and roofed a backhand shot that created a bottle pop you no longer see in today’s game. Crosby also added a stylish spin-o-rama assist from one knee.

Ovechkin tallied a nice assist on a goal by Matt Pettinger, but he could’ve had a much bigger game. Ovechkin walked Penguins defenseman Ryan Whitney with a brilliant move, but the post and goaltender Sebastien Caron combined to keep the puck out of the net.

3. Crosby strikes first in the playoffs

The first of many playoff battles between Crosby and Ovechkin occurred in 2009, and as always, it was a long series. In Game 7, Crosby simply took over. He opened the scoring midway through the first period, and he led Pittsburgh to an emphatic 6-2 victory with two goals and one assist. Crosby would go on to capture his first of three Stanley Cup rings that year.

Ovechkin did score for the Capitals, but it was an overall disappointing performance that foreshadowed what this rivalry would look like in the postseason for many years.

2. Ovechkin, Capitals finally break through

In 2018, Ovechkin and the Capitals had lost three consecutive playoff series to Crosby and the Penguins, including back-to-back defeats in 2016 and 2017. What made the two most recent defeats especially painful was that Pittsburgh had gone on to win the Cup in each of the previous two postseasons.

So, when Game 6 of the second-round series rolled around in 2018, everyone knew the Penguins would force a Game 7 and break the Capitals’ hearts. Except, for once, the story ended differently. Game 6 was a tight checking game, and the teams went to overtime tied at 1-1. Crosby had assisted on the Penguins’ lone goal, and Ovechkin hadn’t gotten on the scoresheet yet.

Then, in overtime, Ovechkin sprung teammate Evgeny Kuznetsov on a breakaway for the game-winning goal. Washington slayed the dragon and went on to win the first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

1. Dueling hat tricks

Hands down, the most memorable moment in this rivalry came in Game 2 of that 2009 playoff series. Crosby and Ovechkin traded the first three goals of the game, with Crosby giving the Penguins a 2-1 lead in the second period. Ovechkin responded with two goals in the third period, including the eventual game-winner. 

Ovechkin’s hat-trick goal was a missile at the top of the circles that plunged the Verizon Center into chaos.

Crosby notched his hat trick as he pulled Pittsburgh within one with 30 seconds left, but he couldn’t find a fourth to tie the game. He just had to settle for an eventual series win and Stanley Cup — not a bad consolation prize.

WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia appears to have had a change of plan when it comes to his future, seemingly looking elsewhere after previously announcing his next opponent.

‘King Ry’ dominated his clash against Mario Barrios back in February, utilising the right-hook, rather than his trademark left, to catch ‘El Azteca’ by surprise and comfortably claim a unanimous decision win to finally get his hands on world honours.

That triumph seemed to tee up a grudge match rematch and now title unification against fierce rival and WBO welterweight champion Devin Haney, but the latter was instead targeting an alternate champion in Rolando Romero (WBA).

Then, at the beginning of the month, Garcia revealed that he would be taking on Teofimo Lopez on Saturday, July 25, but collapsed talks for a fight between Haney and Romero seem to have intervened on those plans.

Instead, on a Kick stream, Garcia told UFC lightweight title hopeful Arman Tsarukyan that he is currently hoping that the Haney rematch can happen next.

“Hopefully, [it is Devin Haney next]. He doesn’t really want to call me out, I put a lot of fear into him last time.”

Additionally, WBC mandatory challenger Conor Benn is intending on fighting Garcia later this year, but a unification bout between Garcia and Haney would trump any mandated fight between Benn and the WBC champion.

Haney-Garcia II was previously touted for September, with Haney wanting a fight beforehand, seeking to give himself the optimal chance to right the wrongs of their initial encounter.

LSU Tigers star Flau’jae Johnson has been widely projected to be a lottery pick in the 2026 WNBA draft. Johnson’s collegiate career ended last month, and she has her eyes set on Monday’s draft.

In her interview with NBC Sports on Thursday, Johnson was asked by hosts Natalie Esquire and Terrika Foster-Brasby about her preferred destinations in the WNBA.

“My mindset right now is really just like, I can’t control none of that,” Johnson said. “I’m not even thinking about that. Honestly, I’m like, whoever picks me, I’m grateful, you know, to even have the opportunity to play in the WNBA. Like that sounds crazy. And whoever doesn’t pick me, like I get to see them all the time. I get to play them.

So for me, it’s a win-win situation. For whoever drafts me is a win-win situation. I’ll be very thankful to bring my talents to that city and represent how I do. But I can’t control any of it. It’s not like I could be like, ‘I wanna go there.’ So I’m just thankful for where I’m at right now. I just wanna hear my name get called.”

In her final collegiate season with the Tigers, Johnson averaged 14.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists on 46.5% shooting, including 39.3% from 3-point range. She was a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award as the National Player of the Year this year and ranks No. 6 in LSU history with 2,050 career points.

Johnson was part of LSU’s 2023 championship team. Following that, she led the team to two Elite Eight appearances and a Sweet 16 berth this season.

In ESPN analyst Michael Voepel’s mock draft on Wednesday, Flau’jae Johnson is projected to be selected by the Chicago Sky with the No. 5 pick.

Flau’jae Johnson is part of the official WNBA draft invitees

On Friday, the WNBA released a list of 15 prospects who will attend Monday’s draft day at The Shed at Hudson Yards in New York City. The list notably includes LSU Tigers star Flau’jae Johnson, Spain’s Awa Fam, UCLA’s Lauren Betts, Connecticut’s Azzi Fudd and TCU’s Olivia Miles.

Before the traditional “orange carpet,” the invited prospects will visit the Empire State Building for a lighting ceremony to celebrate the draft. Also invited are Nell Angloma, Angela Dugalić, Gabriela Jaquez, Raven Johnson, Gianna Kneepkens, Ta’Niya Latson, Cotie McMahon, Madina Okot, Kiki Rice and Marta Suárez.

The Dallas Wings have the top pick in the WNBA draft for the second straight season. The Minnesota Lynx have the No. 2 pick, followed by the Seattle Storm, Washington Mystics and Chicago Sky. The expansions teams, Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, will have the No. 6 and No. 7 picks, respectively.