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Sing For Peace defies odds to win Stern Idol’s farewell race at Sandown 2026

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Jockey in blue, white, and red silks rides a bay horse over a hurdle during a race, with another rider in pink nearby in the background.

The anticipated farewell for champion jumper Stern Idol did not go according to script, as the horse finished outside the top three in its final race.

Stern Idol, the commanding $1.90 favourite, finished fourth under jockey Will Gordon, trailing the winner by 12 lengths in the Crisp Steeplechase (4200m) at Sandown on Sunday.

Attempting to secure a fourth consecutive win in the race named after a prominent Australian steeplechaser, Stern Idol was not at its previous best on Sunday and made several jumping errors.

Jack Turnbull, the National Assistant Trainer for Ciaron Maher Racing, described it as a disappointing end to a remarkable career but stressed that Stern Idol completed the race safely.

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“Will said he didn’t feel like he was at his best and clearly, he wasn’t,” Turnbull said.

“He didn’t travel as strong and as bold as he normally does and made a few errors down the back.

“There were a few nervous moments late, but thankfully he came back to the yard standing and he pulled up pretty well.

“It’s sad to see him go, but he made it around safe, which is what counts.”

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Racegoers present gave Stern Idol a round of applause as the field passed the finishing line for the first time, with another cheer when the horse returned to the mounting yard.

“There were 20 Ballarat staff that came down, there was Cranbourne staff, Fingal staff, they have all made the effort to come out here which is great,” Turnbull remarked.

“It’s more than the sport, it’s more about the horse.

“It’s hard to draw comparisons with a flat horse, but he is the best jumper, so to see him finish, and know he’s finishing up, that’s the strangest part.”

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The Patrick Payne-trained Sing For Peace ($3.20) took out the race, winning by a nose from Mr Lincoln ($18), with Hit The Road Jack ($5) finishing third, two lengths adrift.

Neil Greaves, representing the Payne stable, suggested that jumps racing itself was the ultimate winner.

“It’s a perfect time to salute the great Stern Idol,” Greaves commented.

“He didn’t win today, but he’s been a great jumper over the last four years.

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“The scene is changing and we’re lucky enough to have some of the better ones at the moment.”

The Payne stable also had success earlier in the day, winning the opening race with Split.

However, jockey Tom Ryan was the star of the day across the three jumps races at Sandown, clinching a feature race double after winning the Grand National Hurdle on Andy Win.

Ryan guided Sing For Peace to victory in the Australian Steeplechase and admitted he thought the gelding had thrown the race away with a poor jump around 1200 metres from the finish.

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“He made a really bad mistake, and I don’t know how he stood up, to be honest,” Ryan said.

“But he made a really good jump at the last and it was do or die and he battled on all the way to the line.

“I didn’t think I had held on, but luckily, we did.”

Keen to get involved in the action? Check out the latest racing odds for upcoming events.

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Enzo Maresca press conference LIVE Man City transfer updates and pre-season team news

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4 August 2026

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Kovacic is set to stay at City this season after talks with the club hierarchy. The Croatian only has one year remaining on his contract and had been linked with a return to Inter but has been backed to be part of Enzo Maresca’s squad at the Etihad.

Kovacic told reporters in Hong Kong that he never felt any doubts from the club over his future and is happy to remain in Manchester for another year. Having missed most of last season with injury after needing two separate surgeries on an Achilles problem, the Croatian is looking to make up for lost time and prove his importance to Maresca.

“I didn’t feel the question marks from them. I spoke with them, it was that they count on me, which was important for me to hear that from them,” he said. “And now, like I said, for the players it’s always on you to show your best version, because if you’re playing good, the manager will put you first.”

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Dates, stages, and number of teams

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4 August 2026

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The BGMI Masters Series (BGMS) Season 5 will begin on August 10, 2026, with 24 teams. Nodwin Gaming has not yet revealed the names of all the participants. The tournament will take place in three stages, including League, Playoffs, and Grand Finals, and will be hosted offline in Delhi NCR.

The BGMS is a major third-party Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) event. Every year, Nodwin Gaming organizes this contest with a huge prize pool. The previous four seasons of the tournament have attracted massive viewership and were among the most successful BGMI events.

The inaugural edition of the BGMS featured a huge prize pool of ₹1.52 crore. The second and third editions boasted ₹2.1 crore and $1 crore, respectively. The fourth iteration was held with a total prize pool of ₹1.43 crore.

Dates for BGMS Season 5

The League Stage of the event will be held over three weeks, from August 10 to 30; the Playoffs will be hosted over three days, from August 31 to October 2; and the Grand Finals will be held from September 4 to 6, where the top 16 teams from the previous two stages will fight for the trophy.

Here are the dates for each stage of the event:

1) League Stage

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  • League Week 1 – August 10 to 13
  • Bounty Weekend – August 14 to 16
  • League Week 2 – August 17 to 20
  • Super Weekend 1 – August 21 to 23
  • League Week 3 – August 24 to 27
  • Super Weekend 2 – August 28 to 30

2) Playoffs – August 31 to September 2

3) Grand Finals – September 4 to 6

Of the 24 participants, 20 will be invited directly to the BGMS Season 5. Four teams from the TVS Raider Wicked Battles have qualified for the contest.

Santa Esports emerged victorious in the TVS Wicked Battles 2026. White Walkers, Hexnova, and Aura X Esports were second, third, and fourth, respectively. These four underdogs have secured their spots in the BGMS Season 5.

K9 Esports was the winner of the previous edition of the tournament. The omega-led roster put in a top-notch performance to win its first major title. However, the organisation bid farewell to the lineup on April 18, 2026; they will be seen playing under Team Outrage’s banner in the upcoming BGMS Season 5.

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In the coming days, Nodwin Gaming will reveal all the event details, such as format, schedule, prize pool, and more. All matches of the tournament will be livestreamed on Nodwin Gaming’s YouTube channel.