Trainer Jason Warren is nurturing a significant ambition: to have Grand Pierro participate in the 2026 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 3.

The clock has started ticking, with Grand Pierro resuming his campaign last month in the Mildura Cup, where he finished fourth. His progression now leads him to the Travis Harrison Cup (1800m) at Caulfield this Saturday.

Warren’s goal is to have Grand Pierro ready for the next Melbourne Cup qualifying event, The Archer (2500m), set to take place at Flemington on September 12.

Victoria features four more Cup qualifiers: The Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington on October 3, the Geelong Cup (2400m) on October 21, and the Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) – this year held at Flemington – on October 24, all following The Archer.

Nominations for the Melbourne Cup close on September 1.

“He will be entered in the chance that he could qualify,” Warren commented.

“He’s proven over the distance in the Bagot and Adelaide Cup.”

“He’s not that obvious Melbourne Cup horse, but he stays and he could finish in the first half of the field if he got the chance.”

Grand Pierro’s spring campaign last year commenced in Melbourne, including a third-place finish behind Half Yours in the Naturalism Stakes.

Last year, Warren pursued a Melbourne Cup entry via The Bart Cummings (eighth) and the Moonee Valley Gold Cup (fifth) before the stayer travelled interstate. He had a three-start campaign in Newcastle and then Perth, culminating in the Perth Cup on January 1.

After completing three jump-outs, Grand Pierro competed first-up at Mildura, a run that satisfied Warren.

“I thought his run in the Mildura Cup was terrific,” Warren stated.

“He drops in weight again for Saturday and I think it’s a nice race for him as the 1800 (metres) will suit him and it will give him the chance to get into a nice rhythm.

“He’s worked very well since his first-up run and he would need another run between now and The Archer, and I’ve planned to run him over 2000 metres at Caulfield in three weeks which would then give him two weeks to that race.

“If he could win on Saturday, or win in three weeks’ time, he could be well placed in The Archer.”

Consider the available betting markets for the upcoming Melbourne Cup.

ARDMORE, Pa. — Drue Nicholas has achieved a lot in the world of competitive amateur golf. The 23-year-old from Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, etched his name right next to Jay Sigel, the greatest amateur golfer since Bobby Jones, in 2025 when he became the first player since Sigel to win the BMW Philadelphia Amateur and the Philadelphia Open in the same year. Nicholas backed that up by winning the 2026 Philadelphia Open in a playoff before punching his ticket to the 2026 U.S. Amateur at Merion via a two-under round at the Llanerch Country Club qualifier.

That’s an impressive resume, but nothing could’ve prepared him for what he faced on Monday morning

The U.S. Amateur is a marathon golf week filled with white-knuckle moments for the world’s best amateur players, be they 17-year-old Miles Russell or 34-year-old accounting professor Brett Patterson. But the most terrifying shot of the week might belong to Nicholas.

The Drexel University graduate became a Merion member in April and was given the honor of hitting the opening tee shot at this week’s U.S. Amateur at his home club.

Asked to send the opening shot of the latest Merion U.S. Amateur into the sky, Nicholas struggled to sleep on Sunday night, with visions of both embarrassment and grandeur dancing in his head.

“I was nervous. I didn’t sleep great,” Nicholas said on Monday. “When I woke up, I felt good. I was a little nervous and it was tough getting to sleep, but it was all right.”

As he approached the tee box, Nicholas, who is used to playing in big amateur events, felt a type of nervousness he had never experienced.

“I was really nervous. I was nervous to make contact with the ball,” Nicholas said. “Just shaky. It’s like I had a lot of caffeine, but I didn’t have any caffeine. Just overly jittery.”

Nicholas pegged it at the 353-yard opening par-4 and took several deep breaths. The crowds following Merion’s local hero are bigger than Nicholas is used to. He said he had around 40 friends and family walking with him this week at his home course. Nicholas said he could feel the support from the crowd but also that it elevated his already high stress levels.

“The first couple holes, with people walking around, I’m not used to that. It was a little different, but I got used to it,” Nicholas said. “I was really nervous because of it.”

Nicholas stared down the first fairway with a host of supporters crowding the tee box. He took a deep breath and unleashed what he hoped would be a memorable strike. It was, but not in the way he envisioned.

The ball sailed right off the club and landed in the rough, leading to an opening bogey.

“Probably when I saw the ball going right. I was just like, “Damn.” Really disappointed in that effort there,” Nicholas said, laughing. “But it was a great experience, once in a lifetime.”

The hand-numbing nerves hung around for six holes, Nicholas said. He hit a nice 5-iron into the third hole for birdie to settle in, but then made a double bogey on the par-4 fifth. He turned in three over but made birdies at 11 and 12 to shoot a one-over 71 and give himself a chance to make the cut for match play.

That will require Nicholas to go low on Tuesday afternoon at co-host Philadelphia Country Club, where the nerves are expected to be significantly lower now that he has already faced the hardest shot of the week.

“Maybe a touch,” Nicholas said about facing less pressure in Round 2. “The first day is always a little bit more stressful.”

Even more so when you’re asked to hit the most important shot on home turf.

First, the Buffalo Bills put out a statement on Monday, defending the honor of their new $2.2 billion stadium that was getting absolutely crushed on social media – with photo evidence, no less – for how poorly architects laid out some of the place’s sightlines.

Then the club put its chief operating officer and its vice president of stadium development on a conference call with reporters to explain how the fans, some of whom are taxpayers footing $850 million of the cost for the building, didn’t have the whole story when they posted those cringe photos of obstructed views and videos of poor rain coverage during the Bills’ Saturday practice.

So, yes, the Buffalo Bills are in full crisis management mode right now and the damage control isn’t about an injury to a valuable player or a questionable coaching decision.

NY GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL TRIES TO GET BILLS CHANT GOING AT NEW STADIUM, COMPLETELY FAILS

It’s all about a multi-billion-dollar project that, so far, is not quite living up to some of the billing it presented to fans, including personal seat license holders.

“So far, we’ve heard from less than one percent of our PSL holders about anything sightline related,” Bills COO Pete Guelli told Western New York area reporters on the conference call Monday. “Relative to that specific issue, we feel very confident what was represented via the virtual venue is accurate to what people saw when they sat in their seats.

“If anybody feels otherwise, we’re taking this on a case-by-case basis, and we’ll address any concerns that they have.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul thanks those involved during remarks at the official ribbon-cutting ceremony opening the new Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills, Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in Orchard Park. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)

The concerns were all over social media. And they turned what was supposed to be a triumphant moment for a proud franchise into something more closely resembling the season’s first loss.

Because, apparently, clear sightlines throughout the facility is beyond the scope of what is possible for a $2.2 billion stadium in 2026.

“Any building you would walk into, there would be some obstructed seating,” Guelli explained. “There are seats where we could create a different design, put in a blank area, or they give you the option to put in a seat that might be obstructed for football, but can be used for any other event like a concert. There’s always partial-view or limited-view seats, and we think those were pretty clearly depicted in our virtual venue.”

Then-Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady stands next to quarterback Josh Allen (17) before a game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on Oct. 27, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

The sight-lines weren’t the only problem. Of course not.

Some fans complained their views were blocked by vendors or other fans walking about as the Bills practiced.

JOSH ALLEN DELIVERS FULL-THROATED UNSOLICITED DEFENSE OF BUFFALO BILLS’ HIDEOUS NEW UNIFORMS

The club is responding by pointing out that at actual games, fans and vendors will be instructed to wait for the whistle before being allowed to move about. So, yes, the raucous, rowdy Bills crowds that sometimes stood the entire game at the old Highmark Stadium might be going away.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Bills quarterback Josh Allen takes part in the Return of the Blue and Red practice at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Aug. 8, 2026. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)

Games will now be coordinated something like tennis matches.

There were also complaints about new Highmark Stadium’s video boards because of their uninspiring size and scope.

The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle reported that was done on purpose because club owner Terry Pegula wanted fans focused on the field and not the scoreboards. The speaker system, the paper reported, was more of a priority investment for Pegula.

So, team ownership apparently forgot that video killed the radio star about 50 years ago.

“We’re learning a lot about the building, and that includes game presentation,” vice president of stadium development John Polka told reporters. “We’ll look at how much of the scoreboard we’re using for video versus using for content. We also have things in this building that we didn’t have before.

“We have a nine-foot ribbon board right below that scoreboard that we may want to use differently. But with the raw size of the scoreboards, we’re comfortable and confident that those are the way we intended and designed them.”

FOLLOW ARMANDO SALGUERO ON X: @ARMANDOSALGUERO

South Africa coach Desiree Ellis believes Banyana Banyana have what it takes to beat Nigeria on Thursday and keep their hopes of qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup alive.

The two teams will meet in a crucial African play-off in Casablanca after both were knocked out of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations at the quarter-final stage.

South Africa lost 2-1 to hosts Morocco on Saturday, while Nigeria suffered a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon on Sunday.

The result means the two African giants must now battle for one of Africa’s places in the inter-confederation play-offs for the 2027 World Cup.

Despite the defeat to Morocco, Ellis was pleased with her team’s performance and believes it has given them confidence ahead of the clash with Nigeria.

“I can be very proud of the team. We knew how important this game was, and I think everybody that stepped onto the field can be proud that they gave everything,” Ellis said.

The South African coach congratulated Morocco for reaching the World Cup but said her team still has a chance to achieve its own goal.

Ellis admitted that there is little time to recover from the Morocco defeat, but said her technical team must quickly prepare for the important game against Nigeria.

“We didn’t want to go that route, but it’s been thrown at us. The dice turned the other way, and we reminded them that we need to get ready for that game,” she said.

She added that Banyana Banyana must forget the disappointment and focus on the opportunity ahead.

“We are just focusing on the next game, but obviously we’ll have to recover really quickly and then prepare for that game,” Ellis added.

Nigeria will also see Thursday’s match as a must-win game after their defeat to Cameroon.

The winner of the play-off will not qualify directly for the 2027 World Cup but will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs.

According to FIFA’s qualification format, two African teams will take part in the global play-off tournament alongside teams from other confederations.

The first stage is expected to take place in November and December 2026 at a centralised venue.

Six teams — two from Asia, two from Africa, one from South America and one from Oceania — will compete for two places in the final play-off stage.

On a sultry Tuesday afternoon Arezoo waited impatiently at the Hotel Connaught Royal in New Delhi to know if she would get an extension of her month-long India visa and be able to explore a little more. On her maiden trip to India on bike, the Iranian cyclist was lucky enough to reach Jaipur, a city she compares with her beautiful land of Isfahan. Celebrated for its vibrant tiles mosques, majestic palaces and scenic bridges, Arezoo feels, “Jaipur is the closest to what Isfahan looks like”.

Eight years ago, Arezoo Eskandari could not ride her bicycle out of her home. Her father and brother would not allow it. She kept trying, one pedal at a time. With mother’s support she slowly began her solo travels.

First one day. Then five months. Then Asia.

Before the bicycle became her passport, Arezoo was a mountaineer. She had climbed some of the highest mountains in Iran, as well as Mount Ararat in Turkey and a mountain in Armenia.

Exploration on cycle came next, and almost by accident.

“In the beginning it was getting out of home for a day, then for few days and then I cycled alone around Iran for five months, covering approximately 8,400 kilometres. It was not easy because I had to dress like a man, cover myself and hit the road. Many times police would chase me. For my parents, who continue to be traditional and deeply rooted in family values, allowing a 36-year-old unmarried girl on a solo road trip was not easy. But slowly my dad gathered confidence in me.”

The trip around Iran made Arezoo realise that the things she had been afraid of did not necessarily have to define her life.

So she sold her car, left her job as a psychologist and set off.

No big sponsor was waiting for her, no corporate logo on the bicycle, no comfortable support vehicle following behind. She funded the beginning of the journey herself.

Arezoo has been on a shoestring budget.  Till Tuesday, she had spent around $4,500.

Arezoo laughs, ”Being a woman in Jaipur and resisting the temptation to shop is quite tough. I did buy some local handmade stuff. But then again, having bought them, had to throw away some part of my luggage. I have to be mindful of the weight of the bags and also spending.”

The bicycle and luggage together weigh nearly 60 kilograms. “Sometimes very difficult to ride,” Arezoo says, laughing. “Especially the hills.”

There are hills. There is heat. There is humidity. There are nights spent in a tent because a hotel costs too much. There are days when she cooks for herself because there is no money for a restaurant.

There is also the small matter of crossing borders, getting visas and figuring out where she is going to sleep that night.

So far, she says money has become one of the biggest challenges. She has camped instead of staying in hotels and cooked instead of eating out. Now, she is worried that her money is running out.  If she cannot find financial support, the journey may have to end earlier than planned.

It’s all about the bike

Arezoo calls her bike “Afra”, the Persian word for Maple tree. She has painted her messages on the handles of the bike. Her boldest message: slow down and open your eyes to see the world around.

Her journey is built around what she calls “slow life” — living in the present rather than constantly worrying about the past or the future. “Lead a slow life, don’t think about the past, don’t think about the future. Just live in the present and enjoy everything around you. My message is about mindfulness.”

Arezoo estimates that she covers between 70 and 100 kilometres on an average day.

The Iranian cyclist says,” A tourist arrives at an airport, checks into a hotel, visits the sights and moves on. I take the long way. I ride through villages, stop in towns, meet people, eat local food, watch ceremonies and try to understand the places I pass through. Sometimes I cannot speak to the people I meet, but the best way to communicate is through a smile”

In Laos, Vietnam and Thailand, language was often a barrier.

“People have invited me into their homes, given me food and made me feel welcome despite not sharing a language.”

She calls it the “language of humanity”, the best description of her journey.

Her favourite memories are “a temple wedding ceremony in Thailand. And in India the Kanwar Yatra, when the devotees collect holy water from the river in Rishikesh,” she says, “Every day have a new story, every day teach me new thing.”

The Indian dream

India had been on Arzoo’s list for years. Bollywood was part of it.

Many Iranian people know a lot about India, especially Bollywood movies, which are very famous in Iran,” she says. “Ever since I was a child, I have wished to come to India to explore the country, the food, and the traditional clothing—and now, I am finally wearing it.”

She visited Agra and Jaipur and made it to Delhi.

The war made the distance from home feel much longer

Arezoo began her Asian journey in November 2025, before the war in Iran had started.

When the war began, she was in Thailand.

“For nearly two months internet connectivity in Iran was disrupted. My family was in Isfahan. I could not reach them properly, and they could not reach me either. I was very stressed. Thankfully they are all safe now.”

That uncertainty was excruciating for the girl on the road

“During the day I would cycle across Thailand and at night I would be terribly worried. I knew the war was on, did not know how the folks were dealing with it.”

They are now back in regular contact. She calls her family every night.

She is careful when asked about women in Iran

There is a familiar international image of Iranian women as having no freedom or access to ordinary public life. Arzoo does not want to make sweeping statements about her country, particularly because she intends to return home.

While acknowledging that life can be difficult for women, Arazoo says,” I went to the University, did my Masters in Psychology. Many women go to the Uni, pursue higher studies, and work in high offices. Life in Iran is tough, and so is it for many women in South Asia. There is a perception that women are not allowed to drive or do anything, but that is not true.”

Arezoo knows exactly where the boundaries are because she has spent much of her adult life testing them.

Her journey has become someone else’s inspiration

The 36-year-old never set out to become a role model. But now her social media is buzzing, with around 100,000 following the journey.

Her Instagram bio reads,” A girl who has gone to the depths of her fears and is living her dreams. I am on a bike around Asian continent and now I am in the seventh country of India.”

Arezoo says “Many of my followers are women and girls. Because they see me like a hero. And admire me. I have a goal about this travel. I want to tell every woman if you dream of something, you can do it.”

Record in sight, Arezoo keeps spirits high

Along the way she is also eyeing a Guiness record.  But there are plenty of challenges like visa, money, safety and physical exhaustion. Her bicycle is heavy. The roads are hard. Sleeping in a tent is uncomfortable and yet she keeps going.

“My travel has many challenges and is not easy,” she says. “The sun is sometimes very sharp, and it is humid here and in other countries. Humidity makes cycling very difficult. Many times, I need to sleep in a tent, which I pitch in neighbourhoods or next to a police station for safety.”

There is emotional pain and long wait too, like she waited for almost 24 hours in Delhi to know whether or not she can explore the country on her bike. By evening, her WhatsApp buzzed; in her inbox was the message she wanted to see- Visa extended for 15 days.

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