A promising juvenile colt, Joint Venture, is now on a path towards early season three-year-old feature races after achieving a significant win at Rosehill.

Purchased for $625,000 as a yearling by the Newgate stallions syndicate, the finely bred son of I Am Invincible showed considerable improvement from his initial placing at Wyong, demonstrating his class in Saturday’s Kia Ora Bloodlines to Headlines Handicap (1200m).

Trainer Chris Waller noted that Joint Venture is still developing, but the victory as a two-year-old will be a valuable addition to his record and a strong foundation for potentially stepping up in grade.

“It’s also a good time of year to give a horse like him confidence,” Waller said. “You can see how much he does wrong at the start and in the straight. You can’t get confidence if they’re in a tough race doing things wrong, but at this time of year they can.”

Waller will monitor Joint Venture’s recovery from Saturday’s race but will not hesitate to challenge him against more experienced rivals in the coming weeks if the horse continues to impress.

“You can take on the better three-year-olds with a bit of fitness, and you can be competitive,” Waller stated. “We’d be pushing on, I’d say. He won’t get over too far (in journey), too quickly, but we will concentrate over the next few weeks on getting his ring craft right. If we get that right, there is a lot of improvement to come.”

Ridden by Sam Clipperton, Joint Venture ($8.50) saluted by three-quarters of a length from Gatineau ($6.50), who battled on well after leading, with Seeiaye ($2.30 favourite) holding on for third. Joint Venture returned $8.50 with leading betting apps Australia.

Spain are world champions after a dominant win over Argentina in the final of the 2026 World Cup, with Ferran Torres giving La Roja a famous win in New Jersey.

Both sides played out a scrappy first half, and though Spain were dominant as they stifled the holders, neither side could fashion a clear-cut chance, save for one early effort from Lamine Yamal that was blocked by Lisandro Martinez.

The second half played out in similar fashion, with Argentina failing to have a shot in 90 minutes before Enzo Fernandez changed the game, the midfielder sent off for a poor challenge on Pau Cubarsi as he earned two yellow cards in around 10 minutes.

It left Argentina with a mountain to climb in extra time as they looked to fight back against Spain’s dominance, and eventually the advantage told, with Torres opening the scoring after a clever header from Nico Williams.

In the end, it was enough for Spain to secure a win that was far more dominant than the scoreline suggests, with Luis de la Fuente producing a managerial masterclass to give La Roja their second World Cup triumph.

Here’s how the players rated in the World Cup final:

Spain

Unai Simon, 6: The Spain keeper was alert early on to stop Messi going clean through, but that was almost the only thing he had to do all game as Argentina failed to have a shot before 90 minutes.

Pedro Porro, 7: The Tottenham man defended well when called upon, notably when shepherding Gonzalez off the ball after a promising opening for Argentina. He was always willing to join the attack and provided another outlet to help Spain dominate possession, and it was his cross that led to Torres’ goal in extra time.

Pau Cubarsi, 7: The Barcelona youngster has benefitted from Spain’s settled displays and has formed a superb partnership with Laporte. He was once again mostly untroubled throughout this game as La Roja didn’t face a single shot within 90 minutes. He did well to nip in and beat Fernandez in the challenge that led to the red card, and helped make a decisive late block to keep Spain ahead.

Aymeric Laporte, 7: As with Cubarsi, he was almost entirely untroubled during his time on the pitch, as a consequence of both his own composure and skill as well as Spain’s near-flawless gameplan. Was forced to block off Messi late on at the expense of a yellow, but it was worth it, and he was later subbed in extra time. An impressive end to a near-flawless tournament for the Bilbao man.

Marc Cucurella, 7: Like his teammates, the full-back defended diligently when called upon, though he was rarely called upon. Instead, he was more impressive in possession, flashing an effort wide of the far post and constantly offering an outlet for his teammates, even in the final third.

Rodri, 8: The Spain midfielder may well be chasing another Ballon d’Or, and performances like this will certainly help his cause. He was at the centre of everything for much of the game, leading the Spain build-up, mopping up loose balls and breaking up rare Argentina attacks. This type of midfield performance is not as lauded as ones with goals or assists, but it’s so important to how this Spain team functions, and has led them to a second World Cup triumph.

Dani Olmo, 6: The Barcelona man could have had an assist early on after a lovely lay-off to Yamal. He is to the Spain attack what Rodri is to the defence and the build-up, though today it didn’t click in the final third despite Spain’s dominance of the ball.

Fabian Ruiz, 6: Helped Spain dominate possession in the opening stages as they suffocated Argentina. Showed flashes of his ability during some slick passing moves, and is another who showed why he’s important to the Spain set-up, even if he was unable to directly affect the game before coming off.

Lamine Yamal, 6: Should probably have made it 1-0 with an early chance, though it was blocked well by Martinez. He provided a constant threat down the right but he was not his usual self, albeit he often found Argentina doubling up – or even tripling up – in defence. A quiet day for the 19-year-old, though he can afford a few of those in a team this talented.

Mikel Oyarzabal, 6: It wasn’t to be for the Real Sociedad man, who could not repeat his heroics from the Euro 2024 final. He was fairly anonymous throughout, with his only effort of note testing Martinez outside the box. Showed flashes of why he’s important to the team but was not able to get as involved in attacks as he’d have liked.

Alex Baena, 6: The Atletico Madrid man didn’t have a lot to do in terms of defensive duties, but he was largely ineffective in attack during his time on the pitch, though he did dovetail well with Cucurella down the left.

Subs

Ferran Torres, 8: The nature of Spain’s play arguably means that their designated ‘centre-forward’ is one of the least involved players at times, and so it proved as both Oyarzabal and Torres struggled to impose themselves in attack. However, the Barcelona man has proven adept at picking his moment at club level, and he did so again as he arrived in the box to fire in an accomplished finish for the winner.

Pedri, 7: Pedri is another player who might have been surprised by the number of minutes he’s seen this summer, but he slotted in seamlessly after coming on and was brilliant throughout, hardly putting a foot wrong as Spain began to turn the screw. He may not benefit from the synergy between Rodri, Ruiz and Olmo at the moment, but the Barcelona youngster will lead this team for years to come.

Mikel Merino, 7: The Arsenal man has been Spain’s surprise package so far this tournament and he was unlucky to have a foul ruled against him in the build-up to the disallowed goal. Headed wide from a great Williams cross when he probably should have scored.

Nico Williams, 8: The winger changed Spain’s attack after coming on, with his skilful dribbling, pace and directness causing problems as soon as he entered the pitch. He was unlucky to have a goal ruled out, and equally unlucky to see a superb cross headed wide by Merino, though he eventually got his assist after great work at the back post in heading down the cross for Torres’ winner. While he has had to sit on the bench at times throughout this tournament, this was another memorable final performance for the world and European champion.

Martin Zubimendi, 6: Came on to replace Rodri, and as was the case with the Euro 2024 final, slotted seamlessly into midfield. Probably benefitted from Spain’s numerical advantage, but was solid enough.

Eric Garcia, 6: Came on to shore up the defence but had little to do as Argentina tired and Spain’s numerical advantage told.

Manager rating: Luis de la Fuente, 9: The flawless display from Spain was largely down to a manager who has proven himself as one of the best in the world in recent years. La Roja were imperious as they nullified all of Argentina’s threats in a dominant display, limiting Argentina to just two shots and none on target while providing plenty of attacking threat. His subs were inspired too, with two combining to score the goal that won them the World Cup.

Argentina

Emi Martinez, 7: Eventually made a good stop from Yamal after Martinez’s deflection early on. Made a routine save from Torres’ close-range header before fumbling another long-range effort, but made a great save from a late Yamal free-kick. Made another good save from Williams early into extra time, a second in the lead-up to the disallowed goal, and could do little about the winner from Torres.

Gonzalo Montiel, 6: The defender was another who came into the side after a good cameo against England, but he had little to do early on up against an ineffective Alex Baena. Nevertheless, he was alert to make a clearance and stop Cucurella from having a free effort at goal in the second half just before he came off.

Cristian Romero, 6: The Tottenham man was not troubled too much in the first half despite Spain’s possession, and dovetailed well again with Martinez before the latter came off. He was subbed after the second hydration break, presumably due to injury of some sort, in a disappointing end to another tournament to remember. Can hold his head high alongside Martinez.

Lisandro Martinez, 6: A huge disappointment for the Manchester United defender, who was forced off inside the first half due to injury. He did make a solid contribution though, providing a decisive block early on to help Martinez stop a golden chance for Yamal. He was not troubled too much in the first half despite Spain’s possession, though was first to be booked after scything down Oyarzabal on the counter.

Nicolas Tagliafico, 5: Struggled up against Yamal early on, and somehow escaped a yellow card after bringing him down on the counter. Was helped out when they doubled up in defence, but offered little in attack and is another who will likely be retiring soon.

Nico Gonzalez, 5: His brief cameo against England was enough to earn the winger a starting berth but he was largely ineffective as Argentina toiled in the first half, before being replaced by Leandro Paredes at half-time.

Alexis Mac Allister, 6: The midfielder was probably lucky to escape an early yellow, and even more so after what looked like a fairly deliberate handball. However, he provided some badly needed composure in the first half, though he was also limited in what he could do in the face of Spain’s dominance.

Enzo Fernandez, 3: Having been the hero against England in an impressive outing, the Chelsea man was largely anonymous throughout the opening 90 minutes as himself and his midfield partners struggled to gain a foothold in the game. In the end it was a pathetic, petulant exit as dissent and a ridiculous foul saw him sent off in stoppage time, just as Argentina looked like they might be making their way into the game.

Rodrigo De Paul, 5: Couldn’t impose himself on this game as he did in his cameo against England, and could do little to help his side as Spain dominated possession. Largely anonymous, but through no fault of his own.

Lionel Messi, 5: The 39-year-old was kept unusually quiet in the first half as his side were stifled, and it was more of the same in the second half as Spain began to turn the screw and nullify their opponents. In the end it was a step too far for the little genius, who couldn’t do it all on his own this time, and was limited by a near-perfect tactical display from La Roja.

Julian Alvarez, 5: Another who was unable to make any sort of impact during his time on the pitch. It was a notably muted performance, but he got little help from his midfield and even his attacking partners.

Subs

Nicolas Otamendi, 6: Cleared well from a slick Spain attack and overall performed well in extremely difficult circumstances, though was powerless to prevent the defeat in the end.

Leandro Paredes, 4: Came on at half-time and his first meaningful act was to get a yellow for a needless challenge and reaction. Struggled throughout, though perhaps through no fault of his own as Spain completely nullified their opponents. His time at this level is done, and he showed his frustration at the final whistle.

Giuliano Simeone, 5: The winger was a victim of his side’s muted performance, though he offered little in attack or as an outlet, and lacked composure as he blasted over from near the penalty spot in extra-time stoppage time.

Facundo Medina, 5: Was up against it as he came on for Romero, and while he did well to hold firm for so long, he could do little about the goal.

Nahuel Molina, 4: Another who was up against it as Spain began to dominate but lost Williams as the Spain winger headed down for the opener.

Marcos Senesi, 5: Could do little as he was forced to defend wave after wave of Spain pressure.

Manager rating: Lionel Scaloni, 5: The Argentina boss has previously proven himself an astute manager but he was outclassed here by his Spanish counterpart. Part of that is down to his inferior squad options, but his changes made little difference and he was powerless to prevent his side delivering an abject performance.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Ferran Torres spent an extended amount of time lying on the pitch at MetLife Stadium, a right he had earned after breaking the deadlock in Sunday’s World Cup final 106 minutes into the game. The Spain attacker was hardly the only one breathing a sigh of relief, though, as he put his team on course to win a second title, 1-0, at Argentina’s expense.

The World Cup villains, after all, had finally been slayed.

Less than four years after the world championed Lionel Messi, before he won the title that had eluded him, Argentina literally pulled a line from one of film’s most famous bad guys — they did not die the heroes, instead living long enough to become the villains. Their run to Sunday’s World Cup final was improbable because it was obvious that a golden generation was on its dying embers. Messi, still brilliant, was well past his prime at 39. Argentina were not as deep as some of their competitors for the title, Spain chief among them. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez played the entire tournament with a broken hand, refusing to undergo surgery despite receiving advice from medical professionals to do so.

They could have slipped into plucky underdog territory and they almost did, but circumstances favored them in ways few could foresee. Nine of their 11 goals in the knockout stages came after the 75th minute, resulting in dramatic comebacks that saw them snatch victories from the likes of Cape Verde, Egypt, Switzerland and England. Refereeing fortune favored them, even when Spain had a goal disallowed moments after extra time began. They did not take a shot until the 117th minute on Sunday, a feat for a team that has benefitted from Messi pulling a rabbit out of a hat on days he is invisible.

At long last, it did not work.

It is to Spain’s credit that Argentina ran out of their inexplicable magic. Luis da la Fuente’s team never abandoned Plan A and had been the better team all afternoon. A tepid first half, where they took just three shots, gave way to a second half that showcased both their intention and their talents with the World Cup trophy on the line. They took 12 shots in the second half alone, all while possessing and passing their way around Argentina. Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, was in peak form. The opponents applied little pressure on him, and he had free rein in midfield, which was never a guarantee at age 30 and on the back of an ACL injury that he recovered slowly from — but just in time for the World Cup.

Spain’s ability to render their opponents useless kicked in sooner rather than later. In what was likely his World Cup swan song, Messi managed just 54 touches on the ball in 120 minutes, well below his per-game average of 77.52 in the build-up to Sunday’s game. There was no fairytale ending from a star whose brilliance feels inevitable, but who already has nearly universal adoration and appreciation. He missed out on a second World Cup title, the golden boot award and the competition’s all-time goalscoring record in one fell swoop.

It was perhaps a harsh end for Messi in particular, who had once again carried Argentina as far as he could take them, but an appropriate conclusion for a team that had perhaps stumbled into a World Cup final. They may have gotten close to the trophy but did not play like World Cup winners on Sunday, mustering two shots in 120 minutes and generating just 0.17 expected goals along the way. They may have limited Spain to 1.94 expected goals from 20 shots, but even if the conversion rate was low, they had played well enough to get at least one of those shots across the line.

Argentina opts for cynicism

The trajectory is stunning, if not all that surprising. Scaloni chose a cynical strategy where Argentina absorbed as much pressure as they could, opted out of going forward for the most part and tried to make the game physical to disrupt Spain’s momentum. It nearly worked, but that is mostly due to Martinez’s efforts in goal. Argentina were the most notable “vibes only” World Cup contender in recent memory, especially when standing next to a tactically sound and balanced, if sometimes unglamorous, Spain.

It is not an unfamiliar playbook for plucky underdog types, even if Argentina were not exactly made of that mold. As they chased one final accolade in a dynastic run that saw them win two Copa America titles and one World Cup in between, they arrived at this tournament on the dying embers of that version of the team. A traditional Plan A in the ilk of new world champions Spain was not actually an option for them. Underdogs often opt for the grueling, disruptive game plan because that’s what works against the opponents that are destined to dictate the tempo of a game — and walk away with the win that should accompany it. This edition of Argentina were probably always going to default to that, especially since they have historically been a “vibes only” team even at their best.

You don’t get to be the underdogs though when you’re the defending champions. Doubly so when you have the best player the world has ever seen.

But they leaned into the bit fully at this World Cup, mounting as unique an attempt at a title defense as any team has mustered in some time. The good news for them is that they will likely reset once the dust settles and the confetti gets swept away in New Jersey. Messi has not announced his international retirement and Scaloni has not officially stepped away, but both of those things seem likely, making this tournament a victory lap for this team regardless. Scaloni had said as much going into the semifinal against England, attempting to relish the moments over the last week even as they attempted to win the World Cup in the most arduous way possible.

Their villain arc is both confirmed and complete, to the point that a ring of Messi chants broke out during the trophy presentation ceremony at MetLife Stadium. Messi looked overwhelmed by the occasion, likely for a range of reasons – there are probably few feelings as sore as losing a World Cup final, but perhaps he was taking in his last moments on a World Cup pitch. Victory was not his on Sunday but his legacy has been established for quite some time, in great contrast to his last tearful moment in this very building. A decade ago, he briefly quit Argentina’s national team after a fourth loss in a major final, that time a defeat in penalties to Chile at the Copa America.

His final run was not always spectacular but a decade after declaring that “this is not for me,” he proved even as the other, better team won that the big stages were most certainly meant for him.

Donald Trump hijacked Spain’s 2026 World Cup trophy lift, refusing to leave the podium despite FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s attempts to usher the US President away from the celebrating squad

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Donald Trump refused to step away from the podium after presenting the World Cup trophy to tournament victors Spain.

The Spanish team defeated the reigning champions in extra time, with Ferran Torres netting the opening goal after Argentina were reduced to 10 men when Enzo Fernandez received his marching orders in the 93rd minute.

After their triumph, Spain approached the podium individually to collect their medals before the US President and FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented the trophy to the victors.

Yet as Trump shook players’ hands and thrust his fists skyward, he commandeered the occasion, declining to leave the stage.

Infantino tried to shepherd a seemingly bewildered Trump away from the squad, as he continued hovering on the right-hand side of the team, overshadowing their celebratory moment.

The incident came as little shock given the US president had also breached protocol during the Club World Cup festivities in 2025.

Last July, he left players baffled when he opted to remain with the Chelsea squad as they hoisted the trophy at the MetLife Stadium.

Footage from last summer’s celebrations captured officials attempting to persuade Trump to depart, including appeals reportedly made by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who stood alongside him at one stage.

This year proved no different, with Infantino again tasked with coaxing Trump away from the champions to enable them to raise the trophy.

Infantino dashes across the front of the squad and then gestures to the president to move left and leave, but Trump remains firmly in place as Spain hoist the silverware aloft.

When Trump walked onto the pitch for the ceremony, he was met with loud jeers from supporters — the second time during the final.

Earlier in the match, cameras cut to the president, who was watching the game alongside Infantino in a suite, and as he waved, boos and whistles echoed around the stadium.

He also courted further controversy when footage later showed him in the suite during the first half handling the World Cup trophy.

Argentina is facing Spain in the World Cup final on Sunday, with many celebrities, including J.J. Watt, in attendance. For the former NFL defensive end, it was a dream-come-true moment, which he enjoyed with his wife, Kealie Ohai.

Watt posted a picture with Kealie from the stands on X:

“World Cup Final. Bucket List. Very Grateful.”

In the photo, the couple posed alongside each other while standing in front of a glass railing. There was a lush green field with packed stands in the background. The couple appeared all set to have a blast at the stadium.

The couple also showed off an elite fashion game. For the FIFA final, Watt wore a white textured oversized shirt over a crew-check T-shirt paired with matching shorts and black shoes. As for his partner, she donned a black fitted sleeveless crop top paired with navy blue track pants and matching shoes.

The ex-NFL defensive end made headlines last week when he took a stand for Kealie. On Wednesday, the MLS club Real Salt Lake shared an X post welcoming him and his family to a game against Burnley FC. However, the team simply addressed him in the post and ignored his wife, a local soccer legend. Calling them out, Watt posted:

“The woman in the photo grew up literally down the road, won 4 Utah state championships (1 in this exact stadium), Gatorade Player of the Year twice, National Player of the Year, and scored the fastest first goal in USWNT history… Could probably be worth a mention, but idk.”

J.J. Watt paid special tribute to Janice McNair as the Texans co-founder died at 89

On June 14, Houston Texans co-founder Janice S. McNair died at the age of 89. J.J. Watt mourned her death with an inspirational message that the ex-NFL defensive end shared via a joint Instagram post with the Texans.

“Janice was a beacon of light, not only for her own family, but also for the Texans organization and the city of Houston as a whole. All of us who were graced with her presence and kindness are better for the experience. Rest in peace Janice. We love you,” Watt said.

According to ESPN, Janice became the principal owner of the Texans after her husband Bob McNair died in November 2018. He was the former owner of the team, who worked alongside his wife to help the team find a home in Houston after a separation from the Oilers in 1996.