In 20 days, longtime Vikings executive Rob Brzezinski will select the newest group of Minnesota Vikings players in the draft. As always, the draft remains a mystery, although analysts all over the country seemingly want to make it official with mock draft darling Dillon Thieneman joining the club.
There are other scenarios that don’t include the safety and Alex Ballentine from Bleacher Report has a different idea for Minnesota’s first-round pick in a perfect world.
He wrote, “Injury concerns push Jermod McCoy to the Vikings at No. 18. Even getting their choice of McNeil-Warren or Thieneman would be great. They need to stock up on secondary talent to take on Caleb Williams, Jared Goff and Jordan Love.”
Minnesota’s second could certainly use an infusion of youth, as the youngest member of that group who’s expected to play a significant role is Jay Ward, who’s set to turn 26 in the summer. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores has made it work with veterans and patchwork one-year solutions. The Vikings featured an outstanding pass defense in 2025.
At some point, however, developing some in-house talent certainly makes sense and McCoy or the safety duo could fit his unit.
McCoy is in the conversation to be the first corner taken this year despite missing the entire season due to a torn ACL suffered in January 2025. He then skipped the combine workouts, which raised some alarms.
This week, however, he posted a 4.38 40-yard dash with test scores in the jumping department that confirm his athleticism. In 13 games at Tennessee, McCoy registered 44 tackles and four interceptions.
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ESPN’s Matt Miller noted on Friday, “The feedback I received from teams was that McCoy is back in the running for CB1. There were some questions even from the morning of the workout about what drills he would participate in. But he did everything, including positional drills.
Oct 12, 2024; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Jermod McCoy (3) carries a deflated gator after defeating the Florida Gators at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Angelina Alcantar/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
“Teams love McCoy’s size (6-foot, 193 pounds) and his over 1-inch advantage in terms of arm length over Delane — 31¼ inches compared to 30 inches. And while Delane’s elite final season might keep him in the top spot, both players feel like top-12 locks.”
Mansoor Delane (LSU) is the other cornerback in the mix for CB1. He also sent strong signals at his pro day and he played in the final season of his collegiate career. In most mock drafts, both are drafted before the Vikings are on the clock at 18.
It should be noted that cornerbacks tend to fall on draft day unless they are elite prospects like Sauce Gardner or Derek Stingley in 2022 and Devon Witherspoon in 2023. The top true corner (Travis Hunter went second overall) last year was Jahdae Barron at 20. In 2024, Quinyon Mitchell was selected 22nd.
That recent history lesson, paired with McCoy’s injury, could put him in range for the Vikings. At cornerback, the club employs Byron Murphy and Isaiah Rodgers from last year and James Pierre was signed in free agency. Only Murphy is under contract beyond the 2026 campaign.
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Oct 25, 2025; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars quarterback Zevi Eckhaus (4) is tackled by Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (7) in the second half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images
More secondary help could arrive in the form of a safety, as Ballentine alluded to. McNeil-Warren and Thieneman could both add talent to a room that is set to lose Harrison Smith either this year or in 2027. They have the versatility to be used in the box and deep, which is crucial in a Flores defense.
Thieneman turned heads at the scouting combine and his draft stock exploded that day with a 4.35 40-yard dash. He was the backbone of Oregon*s defense last year after starting his career at Purdue.
McNeil-Warren is the next player from Toledo’s DB school after Mitchell has established himself as one of the league’s top cornerbacks. He ran a 4.52, which is still good for a safety and he brings a bigger frame into the NFL.
The Vikings didn’t add a safety in free agency. Josh Metellus could step into an even bigger leadership role depending on Smith’s future, while rotational guys Theo Jackson and Jay Ward could also earn a promotion.
McCoy, Thieneman, and McNeil-Warren would be investments for the future but would likely still play meaningful roles in their rookie seasons.
Derek Chisora takes on Deontay Wilder on Saturday, and two-division world champion and former Chisora rival David Haye has laid out his prediction for the O2 Arena scrap.
For Wilder, the contest represents a major opportunity to announce his return to the big time, with Chisora’s favourable ranking with the sanctioning bodies offering ‘The Bronze Bomber’ a route back to the peak of the division.
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However, Haye, who defeated Chisora at Upton Park back in 2012, told The Sun Sport that he believes his countryman will end his career with a victory, when sharing his forecast for the fight.
“Derek Chisora on points but also a potential late stoppage. Once Wilder runs out of steam, he sort of [flops around]. He doesn’t have very big legs, his foundations are quite slim.
“Once he loses that [foundation], like we saw against [Zhilei] Zhang, very quickly he started falling all over the place, he was spinning around and he wasn’t together like he once was.
“I think that there is an opportunity for Derek, not early, I don’t think it will happen early but I think Derek will drag him into a very uncomfortable situation where it is very close and they are pushing and pulling. That is what Derek needs, that is what Derek wants.
“In the first three rounds, Wilder is dangerous against anybody, for sure, he can nail you. But going past the midway stage, I don’t think that he is going to be able to keep Derek off of him, and if he does, he will be losing the rounds conclusively.”
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Wilder-Chisora will take place on Saturday, with the likes of Viddal Riley and Denzel Bentley featuring on the undercard.
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58) celebrates after a defensive stop, bringing energy to the unit as teammates rally around the play Dec 1, 2024, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during a matchup against the Arizona Cardinals with Brian Flores’ defense controlling momentum in the second quarter. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
April is here, meaning it’s draft month for the Minnesota Vikings, and we’re bringing the first batch of rumors for the month.
Three new Vikings rumors spotlight Greenard, Turner, and Minnesota’s search for help at center.
Each weekend, we publish two rounds of the hottest Vikings rumors, with never a dull moment in the purple orbit.
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Latest Chatter Reveals Key Questions for Minnesota’s Roster
The Purple Rumor Mill for April 4th.
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard lines up on defense during a postseason clash, bringing edge pressure and veteran presence Jan. 13, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. He consistently disrupted the pocket and helped anchor Minnesota’s front against a dynamic Rams offense in the NFC Wild Card matchup. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Rumor: Jonathan Greenard could be shipped to the Indianapolis Colts during the draft.
Bleacher Report‘s Brent Sobleski published his five “most plausible” NFL trade ideas for the draft, and Minnesota got the call with Greenard.
He noted about the Colts as the trade partner, “The Colts already lack a first-round pick thanks to last year’s trade deadline acquisition of cornerback Sauce Gardner. However, the market for an edge-defender isn’t nearly as robust when discussing anyone other than Crosby.”
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“Jonathan Greenard is the logical target. The Vikings were looking to create salary-cap space earlier this offseason and did so by restructuring running back Aaron Jones’ contract and releasing defensive linemen Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. Still, the Vikings are only $5.5 million under the salary cap before signing the incoming rookie class. In order to create some more flexibility, Greenard can be moved, with the team saving $12.3 million via trade.”
Greenard has also pranced around the Philadelphia Eagles’ rumor mill.
Sobleski continued, “Even after re-signing wide receiver Alec Pierce and quarterback Daniel Jones, the Colts massaged the numbers to where they still have over $27 million in available cap space. They can easily take on Greenard’s remaining base salary and address a significant need, with an end who generated 12 or more sacks in two of the last three seasons.”
“Indianapolis may not have a first-round pick, but the Colts could easily flip a third- or fourth-round selection — the Dallas Cowboys traded a fourth for Rashan Gary — and possibly quarterback Anthony Richardson to get a deal done.”
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The Colts’ main EDGE defenders are Laia Latutu and Arden Key. If Greenard is for sale, Indianapolis makes a lot of sense. That franchise is “all in” to win a Super Bowl, and most teams with that mindset stock up on pass rushers.
Rumor: The Vikings aren’t incredibly high on Dallas Turner as a starter.
Most Vikings fans have assumed Turner is possibly on track for a Pro Bowl jump in 2026 after closing 2025 strong. KSTP’s Darren Wolfson pushed back on that outlook this week.
He said on SKOR North airwaves, ‘I don’t think the Vikings are ready for Dallas Turner — even though you look at the last half of last year, I know there’s a sense that Dallas Turner is ready to ascend even more — but I’m not sure, internally, they are ready for Dallas Turner to play 55 to 62-ish snaps in a game. And who else do they have? Now, I suppose if you trade Greenard, okay, Dallas ascends up, he’ll play that much more.”
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“You can go sign a street free agent — there’s still some guys available — or use a draft pick on somebody that can rush the quarterback from the edge. But I just don’t think they’re ready for Dallas to have like a significantly bigger role. I’m getting into semantics, right? Because is he going to have a bigger role in 26? Yes. I’m not suggesting otherwise, but a much bigger role? I’m not sure they’re ready for that.”
Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Dallas Turner works through drills during organized team activities, showing burst and technique as he enters his second NFL season May 30, 2025, at TCO Performance Center. The former first-round pick is pushing for a larger defensive role after a developmental rookie campaign in Minnesota. Mandatory Credit: YouTube
The context helps explain why Greenard remains in place; if the Vikings aren’t fully sold on Turner, moving Greenard for top value carries real risk.
Minnesota has three years left of team control with Turner; he’ll need to break out sooner rather than later, mainly because the trade to get him in 2024 was so expensive.
Rumor: Minnesota should explore free-agent center Graham Glasgow.
BR’s Gary Davenport analyzed each NFL team with free agency largely in the rearview, finding one player per squad before the draft. Glasgow was connected to Minnesota.
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He explained, “There’s no shortage of drama under center in the Twin Cities this year, where the acquisition of Kyler Murray sets up a summer-long battle with J.J. McCarthy for the right to be Minnesota’s starting quarterback in 2026.”
“But after veteran Ryan Kelly retired, the spot in front of the quarterback is a question mark as well—the team’s top center as things stand now (Blake Brandel) hasn’t played 400 snaps at center over a five-year career. Graham Glasgow played almost 900 snaps at center for the Detroit Lions last year alone.”
The Vikings may also draft a center in 19 days.
Detroit Lions center Graham Glasgow (60) prepares for action in a season opener matchup, anchoring the offensive line against Arizona Sep 8, 2019, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. He handled interior blocking duties throughout the game, providing protection and run support in a competitive contest. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Davenport added, “In a decade-long career spent in Detroit and Denver, Glasgow has played extensively at all three positions on the interior of the offensive line. At 33, Glasgow’s best football is probably behind him.”
“But he was a capable starter last year in Detroit, giving up just a single sack and committing two penalties across 873 snaps per Pro Football Focus.”
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Glasgow produced a 56.2 PFF grade last year. The Vikings might be better off with Brandel and a rookie.
Francisco Trincao scored in the 37th minute, Joao Felix added a goal in the 59th and Portugal beat the United States 2-0 in a friendly on Tuesday night to deal the Americans their eighth consecutive defeat against European opponents.
U.S. star Christian Pulisic was moved from a wing to the top of the attack but failed to convert a pair of good scoring chances.
Pulisic, who played only the first half, is scoreless in eight national team games dating to November 2024 and in 12 games with AC Milan since Dec. 28.
Preparing to co-host the World Cup, the U.S. has been outscored 22-6 during its losing streak against Europe and is winless against the continent in 10 matches since 2021.
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U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino announces his World Cup roster on May 26, and the Americans play their last warmups against Senegal five days later and Germany on June 6. The Americans open the World Cup on June 12 against Australia, face Paraguay a week later and close the first round vs. Turkey on June 25.
Before a pro-US crowd of 72,297 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Portugal went ahead after American midfielder Weston McKennie knocked a hard-to-control pass from Alex Freeman to Vitinha, who played a through ball to Bruno Fernandes. As defenders Chris Richards and Auston Trusty converged on the midfielder, he dropped a backheel pass to Trincao, who took a touch and slotted it past Matt Freese and inside the far post for his third international goal.
Felix scored his 12th international goal following Fernandes’ corner kick. Left unmarked just outside the penalty area, Felix sent a half-volley in on two bounces off the far post.
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Freese was back in goal after his streak of 12 straight starts ended when former No. 1 goalkeeper Matt Turner played in Saturday’s 5-2 loss to Belgium.
Preparing for a World Cup group with Congo, Uzbekistan and Colombia. Portugal was missing captain Cristiano Ronaldo (hamstring).
Moses Itauma, like many, does not see Derek Chisora vs Deontay Wilder going the distance.
Chisora has built a reputation on toughness and volume, often dragging opponents into uncomfortable territory, while Wilder’s game remains centred around his devastating right hand.
The clash, should it have happened with both men in their primes, would present an interesting dynamic between pressure and power.
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However, with talk of retirement surrounding both fighters and fans dubious that they could currently compete at the top level, the stakes feel heightened. Add to that that at least one retirement has been promised, and it becomes a relatively high stakes affair outside of the title picture.
Itauma, when giving his thoughts to the BBC, gave the edge to his countryman by KO.
“I’m going for Chisora. He wins by mid-to-late stoppage.”
Chisora is favourite for the win given how the recent form stacks up. His latest victories against Otto Wallin and Joe Joyce were impressive at this stage of his career and have given him the benefit of activity.
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Wilder, who years ago would have been considered a very dangerous opponent for the Brit, looked nothing like his former self in losses to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang, and his comeback win against Tyrrell Herndon did not tell fans man.
There are just hours to wait to see what the veteran heavyweights bring to the table.
Over the years, as Masters coverage has expanded to capture every shot from every corner of Augusta National Golf Club, many fans have come to feel as if they know the course to its last blade of grass.
Paul Latshaw actually did.
From 1986 to 1989, Latshaw served as Augusta National’s superintendent, presiding over four Masters on a property renowned for its meticulous conditioning. It was a luminous stretch within a 40-year career that carried him across some of the game’s most exacting stages — from Oakmont to Congressional to Winged Foot, and beyond — and made him the only superintendent to oversee host courses for all three U.S.-based men’s major championships.
His influence, though, extended far beyond the grounds he tended. To peers and protégés, Latshaw was a tireless innovator and generous mentor who helped shape the careers of scores of industry professionals. By some estimates, more than 100 of his former employees and pupils went on to become superintendents, turfgrass scientists or leaders in the game, including his son, Paul Jr., who is now director of grounds at Merion near Philadelphia.
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In recognition of those contributions, Latshaw was honored earlier this year with the USGA’s 2026 Green Section Award, presented annually for distinguished service to the game through turfgrass management. Latshaw, 85, whose health has been declining, was unable to attend the ceremony at the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America’s trade show in Orlando. His son accepted on his behalf.
“He was the Michael Jordan of superintendents,” the younger Latshaw told GOLF.com
The man recognized as one of the most influential figures in his field was not himself an avid golfer, nor did he grow up in the game. Raised in Red Cross, Pa., he served in the U.S. Navy after high school and planned to study poultry production at Penn State before answering a newspaper ad for a golf course maintenance job. He took it and was hooked.
He pivoted to Penn State’s two-year turfgrass program, graduating in 1964. But as his son put it, his education never stopped.
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“He was constantly seeking information, attending seminars, eager to learn,” he said. “He always wanted to be on the cutting edge.”
Latshaw’s first superintendent job was at The Country Club of Jackson in Michigan, followed by Shaker Heights Country Club in Ohio. In 1976, he arrived at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania, where he oversaw the 1978 PGA Championship and the 1983 U.S. Open. That proving ground — on a course with storied greens of its own — helped propel Latshaw to Augusta, where he arrived in time for Jack Nicklaus’ historic 1986 victory, 40 years ago this spring.
The move from Oakmont to Augusta plunged Latshaw into a different agronomic world, away from push-up greens and Poa annua and into warm-season turf and fall overseeding. He embraced the changes with curiosity and conviction, experimenting constantly, even when it meant unsettling convention.
One afternoon, his assistant, Matt Shaffer, came across Latshaw behind the 5th green, pumping air across the putting surface with a leaf blower.
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“I said, you’re pushing 90-degree air across the green at 70 miles an hour and you think something good is going to happen,” Shaffer recalled. “What are you even doing?”
“Experimenting,” Latshaw replied.
With air movement, to be exact, in a tree-shaded setting that stifled it. The results were promising enough that Latshaw soon began jury-rigging fans in the maintenance shop and putting them to work on the course, an unconventional practice that became standard at Augusta and, eventually, elsewhere. He also tweaked the club’s green aerification schedule, shifting it into the fall (before Latshaw’s arrival, Shaffer said, the club punched only in summer, when the course was closed). It was a bold move, with professional (if not agronomic) risks, and it briefly disrupted play and ruffled feathers. But it improved turf health.
“That was his thing,” Shaffer said. “His first priority was always: what’s best for the grass.”
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Working under Latshaw, Shaffer said, felt at times like a daily chemistry lesson. Where Shaffer and many of his peers focused largely on major nutrients — nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium — Latshaw worked deeper on the periodic chart, fine-tuning elements like boron, magnesium and calcium.
“He could push grass to points I never thought possible,” Shaffer said. “Right to the edge, where you’d swear it couldn’t come back. And then he’d bring it back.”
When the two first met, Latshaw was at Oakmont and Shaffer was working at a little-known Pennyslvania club, feeling stalled.
“I had a chip on my shoulder,” Shaffer said. “Like I wasn’t getting what I deserved.”
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When Latshaw offered him a job as an assistant at Augusta National, just after the 1986 Masters, the pay wasn’t life-changing, the title (assistant) was a downgrade and the pressure exponentially higher. Shaffer accepted anyway, recognizing a rare chance to learn from a master.
“I thought I was a pretty good grass grower,” he said. “Then I stood next to him and realized how little I knew.”
If Latshaw’s expectations were exacting, so was his work ethic.
“He didn’t just delegate,” Shaffer said. “If we worked 150 days straight, he worked 160. He was smart, he was driven, and he was endlessly curious. He changed my life.”
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After Augusta, Latshaw’s résumé continued to swell with the names of marquee clubs: Wilmington Country Club, Congressional Country Club — where he hosted his second U.S. Open, in 1997 — and a simultaneous consulting role at Riviera. He closed his on-course career at Winged Foot before retiring in 2001 to work as a consulting agronomist.
In total, he ran the agronomic show for four Masters, two U.S. Opens, a PGA Championship and two U.S. Senior Opens. His broader legacy was bolstered through the people he trained, and in the practices he helped normalize.
“Maintenance techniques he introduced that once seemed radical are now standard,” said Darin Bevard, the USGA’s senior director of championship agronomy. “He was always curious, always willing to learn from anyone, and that’s what kept him at the top for so long.”
Years after leaving Augusta, Latshaw was still mentoring Shaffer, who by then was superintendent at Merion, preparing for the 2005 U.S. Amateur under challenging weather conditions that had left the course in less-than-ideal condition. Latshaw arrived with underground soil sensors he believed could help. Shaffer resisted.
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“It told him I didn’t have time to mess around with sensors,” Shaffer said. “I’ve got a course I need to get in shape.”
Latshaw persisted. The sensors went in. And worked.
In addition to this year’s Green Section honor, Latshaw also received the GCSAA’s Old Tom Morris Award in 2017. The following year, Penn State, established a turfgrass graduate fellowship in his name.
Over the years, Paul Jr. said, he and his father haven’t always watched the Masters together.
The Grand National is just days away and a racing expert has named his three picks for the big race
A racing expert has revealed his three picks for the 2026 Grand National.
With the festival at Aintree taking place over three days, all attention will be firmly fixed on horse racing’s most iconic event – the Grand National – which begins at 4pm on Saturday, April 11.
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This year’s race looks particularly wide open, with the likes of 2024 winner I am Maximus and last year’s champion, Nick Rockett, both expected to feature. Picking the winner from 34 runners over the 30 famous fences is no easy task for any punter.
But Ladbrokes ambassador Josh Stacey has named three runners he believes could be set for a standout performance. Among them is the bold 25-1 selection Stellar Story for those looking for a bigger price.
Sharing his exclusive tips, Stacey said: “The modern National often favours classier, higher-weighted runners but if this turns into a proper stamina test, Stellar Story fits the bill perfectly. A thorough stayer, he’s a Grade 1-winning hurdler who keeps finding off the bridle. If it becomes attritional, he could outrun his odds.”
For those seeking a horse specifically trained for this very moment, Stacey points towards Willie Mullins’ camp. While Captain Cody hasn’t been at his best recently, Stacey is backing the 20-1 gelding to come good on the day.
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The racing broadcaster said: “Not at his peak since landing last season’s Scottish National but this has clearly been the long-term target. Stamina is assured, he handles spring ground well, and if arriving in top form, he’s a major contender.”
Stacey also named 16-1 shot Panic Attack among his top selections. The mare arrives at Merseyside on the back of an impressive third-place finish at the Cheltenham Festival, with Stacey convinced that the longer distance will suit her perfectly.
He said: “A standout for Dan Skelton this season, landing both the Paddy Power and Coral Gold Cup. She arrives in great form after a strong Festival third against sharper rivals. Nicely weighted and travelling powerfully, she’ll have backers dreaming turning for home.”
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Stacey’s backing of the Dan Skelton yard with Panic Attack comes as little surprise. Skelton has established himself as the master of target training for such handicap chases.
The fact Panic Attack has already claimed both a Paddy Power and a Coral Gold Cup this season suggests she is the most improved stayer currently in training. If she handles the unique Aintree fences, she could become the horse to finally bring end the 75-year wait for a female runner to win the famous race.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) recently expressed their interest in existing and new areas of cooperation in cricket with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) through a letter. “We maintain regular communication with various countries’ cricket boards. As part of that regular communication, we recently reached out to the Board of Control for Cricket in India via a letter, through an email, to communicate with them”, Nazmul Abedin Fahim, Director (Cricket Operations) of BCB, told ANI, over the phone.
“In the letter, we mentioned that the Indian national cricket team is scheduled to come to Bangladesh in September to play a series, and after that, our women’s team is supposed to go to India. We also included in the letter a request to explore any other possibilities for reciprocal cricket collaborations,” he added.
Earlier, the Kolkata Knight Riders, ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL), had hired a Bangladeshi player, Mustafizur Rahman, to play in the tournament. However, due to political objections from local parties, the BCCI didn’t permit Mustafizur to play. And this created a bit of a rift between Bangladesh and India.
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After the controversy, Bangladesh boycotted the T20 World Cup in India.
After the election on February 12, under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the current government took power, and relations between Bangladesh and India have been improving.
On April 7 and 8, Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister, Dr. Khalilur Rahman, is visiting India. In the context of improving relations between the two countries, cooperation in cricket is also increasing.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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As he enters his fifth season training, Reece Goodwin maintains his habit of checking online sales for low-cost horses.
Coastwatch, a previous stakes winner, represents one of his latest picks, heading into the Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday in his first start for the new handler.
Initially trained by Chris Waller, Coastwatch later joined Richard and Will Freedman, the father-son partnership, until being sold after a last-place effort at Canberra back in November.
Coastwatch triumphed in a Listed race at Sandown earlier in 2025, though the gelding was unplaced in all eight starts thereafter.
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Goodwin believes Coastwatch matches the profile for his stable upon acquiring him.
“It’s what we have been doing for a number of years now,” Goodwin said.
“He’s a horse that has shown plenty of ability previously and tapered off in form for whatever reason, and sometimes we can get them going again, and sometimes we don’t.
“The older they are and the higher rated they are, the tougher it is to get them going, but it wasn’t too long ago that he was running OK and everything is price relative as well.
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“If he had brought $40,000 or $50,000, we wouldn’t have him, but he only made $20,000 which we thought was a price worth risking on a horse that is going to be running in a race like Saturday, a $200,000 race, even though it’s probably a bit more competitive, or stronger, than I anticipated.”
Goodwin holds no high hopes for quick success with Coastwatch, who has trialled well lately, notably third at Pakenham behind Doncaster Mile fancy Sheza Alibi.
Coastwatch draws poorly for Saturday, Goodwin observed, yet closing well would delight the trainer.
“We’ll probably ride him quiet, but it would be good to see him getting through the line late and then we’ll look to step him up to 1600 (metres) second up and see him a bit more competitive then,” Goodwin said.
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“We won’t be searching for anything interstate. We’ll keep him at home and try and pick off a race or two and we basically only have to win one of these races to be well in front.
“He does handle some sting out of the ground and being an older horse with some wear and tear, he certainly wouldn’t suit summer.
“We’re just looking for a good kick-off on Saturday and building our way from there.”
Visit betting sites to find racing odds for the Group 3 Victoria Handicap at Caulfield.
BOTTOM LINE: New Orleans will try to end its seven-game slide when the Pelicans take on Orlando.
The Pelicans are 16-23 on their home court. New Orleans is 14-24 in games decided by 10 points or more.
The Magic are 17-20 in road games. Orlando has an 18-25 record against teams above .500.
The Pelicans score 114.9 points per game, 0.5 fewer points than the 115.4 the Magic give up. The Magic average 11.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.4 fewer made shots on average than the 14.2 per game the Pelicans allow.
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The two teams square off for the second time this season. The Magic defeated the Pelicans 128-118 in their last matchup on Jan. 11. Desmond Bane led the Magic with 27 points, and Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 22 points.
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TOP PERFORMERS: Trey Murphy III is averaging 21.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals for the Pelicans. Saddiq Bey is averaging 3.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Bane is averaging 20.4 points and 4.2 assists for the Magic. Paolo Banchero is averaging 22.2 points over the last 10 games.
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LAST 10 GAMES: Pelicans: 3-7, averaging 111.5 points, 41.2 rebounds, 26.2 assists, 8.9 steals and 6.2 blocks per game while shooting 46.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.8 points per game.
Magic: 3-7, averaging 114.2 points, 38.7 rebounds, 25.8 assists, 7.5 steals and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting 45.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 123.6 points.
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INJURIES: Pelicans: Karlo Matkovic: day to day (back), Dejounte Murray: day to day (achilles), Bryce McGowens: day to day (toe).
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Magic: Anthony Black: out (abdomen), Jonathan Isaac: out (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Heavyweights Derek Chisora and Deontay Wilder will reach a combined 100 professional fights when they meet at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday.
British veteran Chisora, 42, made his professional debut in 2007 and has recorded 36 wins and 13 defeats.
Former world heavyweight champion Wilder, 40, was once considered the most feared puncher in boxing. However, he has lost four of his last six bouts, leaving his record at 44-4-1.
Chisora says this will be his final fight. If he is to be believed, can he bow out on a high? And with Wilder no longer at his peak, could a win on the road reignite his career?
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BBC Sport asks figures from across the boxing world for their predictions.
;)
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