The Weekly A-Z

Posted on May 14, 2021May 14, 2021 | Posted by Digby Beacham

A – ARDEN STREET AID

North Melbourne coach David Noble was asked about a priority pick when he fronted the media in the lead-up to tomorrow’s match against Hawthorn. His response left nobody in any doubt about how the Kangaroos were travelling. “I’d love one, absolutely I’d love one,” he said. “Why wouldn’t we?” North are winless through eight rounds and have won just one of their last 23 matches. You could argue that this is their own doing given the player purge carried out last year. But there is no denying the club is in all sorts and in desperate need of some assistance.

B – BACKFLIP

Liz Cambage is an imposing figure for opposition basketball players. She is also a polarising figure. Her outrage at Australian Olympic Games photo shoots featuring predominantly white athletes dominated headlines for longer than many would have liked. Born to a Nigerian father, Cambage shouted racism from the rooftop and threatened to withdraw from the Tokyo Games. That was until she went on Instagram and declared she was ready to represent her country and honour the “young brown kids back in Australia”. Her words, not mine.

C – CHEAT

Grab the nearest dictionary and look up the word. You will see a photograph of Bob Baffert. The legendary American trainer is facing disqualification after his Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit returned a positive swab to a steroid. Baffert, as he does all the time when facing a sanction, came up with all sorts of excuses and explanations. Numerous horses trained by Baffert have returned samples to prohibited substances over a long period of time. To put it mildly, Baffert doesn’t pass the sniff test.

D – DIME A DOZEN

Russell Westbrook, arguably the most athletic point guard that has ever played the game, created history this week when he moved past Oscar Robertson on the all-time NBA triple-double list with 182. Westbrook has always been able to score and rebound, but he has developed into an elite facilitator, dishing out dimes (better known as assists) by the dozen — often in the course of games. A championship ring has eluded Westbrook to this point and he will not be winning one this season with Washington, but his legacy in the game is assured.

E – EXORBITANT

In a year when so much of the sporting world was disrupted by COVID, there were others who flourished. And by flourish, we mean FLOURISH. Conor McGregor, the brash Irish MMA fighter, pocketed $232 million over the past 12 months to be the No.1 seed in Forbes’ top-10 athletes rich list. McGregor’s feat is made even more remarkable considering he fought just once during the qualifying period. For the record, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Dak Prescott, LeBron James, Neymar, Roger Federer, Lewis Hamilton, Tom Brady and Kevin Durant rounded out the top 10.

F – FIVE AND COUNTING

Manchester City rubber-stamped what has been another outstanding campaign this week when they claimed the English Premier League title for the seventh time in the club’s history, but most impressively, the fifth occasion in the past nine years. The Pep Guardiola era has been a resounding success despite a few hiccups along the way. Having already snared the League Cup, City will now look to round out a brilliant season in difficult circumstances with victory over Chelsea in the Champions League final later this month.

G – GOOD WILL PUNTING

I’m positive Hollywood superstar Matt Damon has his faults. He is human after all. But boy oh boy, didn’t he endear himself to the Australian public earlier this week when he conducted an interview with an American TV station whilst having a beer at a pub tab in Byron Bay. That sort of behaviour will be looked upon extremely kindly should Damon want to become an Australian citizen.

H – HIGH VOLTAGE

As a rising four-year-old with just eight starts to his name, Explosive Jack fits into the lightly raced category. But he is an absolute ripper. The son of former Melbourne Cup placegetter Jakkalberry chalked up his fifth win and third derby triumph last Saturday when successful in the Group 1 South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville. It followed his narrow success in the Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick last month and win in the Listed Tasmanian Derby (2200m) in February. Little wonder co-trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace are eyeing off the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm next month.

I – INEXCUSABLE

Say it ain’t so. It is unfathomable that Shai Bolton’s spectacular grab in last round’s match against Geelong wasn’t adjudged mark of the round. That honour went to Collingwood forward Brody Mihocek’s pluck during the win over North Melbourne because more fans voted for him than the spring-heeled Tiger. Bolton’s mark will still be eligible to claim mark-of-the-year honours because members of the media can select five marks that were initially outvoted. That is all well and good, but it shouldn’t get to that stage. The AFL needs to fix the voting criteria ASAP.

J – JUSTIFIABLY EXCITED

If you saw breeders or vendors smiling like split watermelons this week, that would be because they own weanlings by Justify. The first crop of the American Triple Crown winner were all the rage at Inglis’ Riverside auction house, with four being sold at an average of $218,750. The top lot, a half-brother to stallion Super One, brought $280,000. Expect to see next year’s yearling sales littered with progeny of Justify.

K – KAH SERVICE

No trainer wants to lose a jockey who has just piloted their horse to a Group 1 victory. Yet it’s fair to assume Phillip Stokes wasn’t crying in his beer after Craig Williams honoured a commitment to link up with Behemoth in tomorrow’s Group 1 Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville. Stokes has engaged the services of the white-hot Jamie Kah to partner Instant Celebrity as she looks to complete the Sangster-Goodwood double in the space of a fortnight. Williams is a champion hoop, but there is no jockey riding better in the country than Kah. Five winners at Caulfield last Saturday were followed by a double from two rides at Mornington on Tuesday and another two winners at Pakenham on Wednesday.

L – LONDON CALLING

Fans of the NFL were whipped into a frenzy this week when the league announced the fixture for the 2021 season. Tom Brady and his Super Bowl-winning Tampa Bay were slated to open their title defence with a home game against the Dallas Cowboys on the second weekend in September. After suspending international matches last season because of COVID concerns, the NFL will stage two matches at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in north London — the New York Jets v the Atlanta Falcons on October 10 and a clash between Miami and Jacksonville a week later.

M – MAGIC WILL HAPPEN

The NRL has enjoyed another excellent season on-field and one of the highlights of the home-and-away campaign takes place over the next 48 hours in Brisbane when all 16 teams will feature at Suncorp Stadium. It takes you back to the days of junior sport and lightning carnivals and the enjoyment of contesting a condensed format. Fittingly, tonight’s second match features the very much in-form Manly against the Broncos before what should be a massive crowd.

N – NOT FOR SALE

As sure as night follows day, every adult has heard the saying “everything is for sale”. Well, multiple Group 1-winning trainer Mick Price is not a believer of that when it comes to his untapped gelding, Ayrton. Price has informed connections of the three-year-old that they should refuse all offers. Ayrton was brilliant resuming at 1200m last weekend and will now head to Queensland for the Group 3 Fred Best Classic and then the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap, for which he will carry just 49.5kg and is a clear-cut favourite in all-in markets.

O – OVERDUE

Perth Glory desperately needed to beat Western United on Wednesday night to remain alive in the finals race. They did exactly that, dispatching the visitors 3-0. It was overdue, but as they say, better late than never. Goals to Bruno Fornaroli, Joel Chianese and Chris Ikonomidis enabled the Glory to close to within six points of sixth-placed Brisbane Roar, albeit with only six matches in the regular season left.

P – POISED TO POUNCE

The Perth Wildcats’ championship tilt continues to gather momentum. Will Magnay suited up and was injected into the contest against Melbourne United at RAC Arena last night after watching the weekend’s win over New Zealand from the bench. The Boomers big man will be asked to take on greater responsibility from added minutes for the remainder of the season. Coach Trevor Gleeson has all the pieces of the jigsaw. It’s now up to him to put them in their right spot and clinch a sixth title at the helm of the most successful basketball club in the country.

Q – Q-CLASH

The match-up between the two Queensland clubs always attracts more than a passing interest. Has done ever since former Gold Coast defender Steven May obliterated then Brisbane ruckman Stefan Martin. This week’s clash was shaping as a ripper until the Suns failed to kick a goal at home in the final quarter against St Kilda last Saturday. The Suns would have been seeking a fourth win in a row had they closed it out. Now they need to upset the Lions to remain in the finals conversation.

R – ROCK OF AGES

Chris and Michael Gangemi are tossing up whether to run the redoubtable Rock Magic in tomorrow’s $200,000 Group 3 Roma Cup (1200m) at Ascot. Concerns over his barrier and the deteriorating Ascot track have the brothers on edge. Let’s hope they decide to push ahead and start the old boy in the race that is very dear to their family’s heart. Rock Magic has achieved Roma Cup glory twice previously and if the rising 12-year-old’s run in the Northam Mazda Stakes a fortnight ago is any indication, he’s not without hope of saluting again tomorrow.

S – SILVERWARE

WA superstar Sam Kerr has accumulated plenty of it throughout her glittering soccer career. Her status as an undeniable great of the world game was underlined this past week when she claimed the Golden Boot Award and also helped Chelsea defend their WSL title with a 5-0 hiding of Reading. She will be on the big stage again on Monday morning, WA time, when the Blues tackle Barcelona in the Champions League final. If the trend is indeed your friend, expect Kerr to relish the spotlight and produce a performance for the ages.

T – TAKE NO PRISONERS

Good on the Port Adelaide Football Club for being respectful of their past and more than a little mischievous at the same time last Saturday night following the comfortable win in the Showdown against Adelaide. The club was denied by the AFL (not sure why) for wearing their traditional prison bars jumper, but after going into their changeroom, swapped the guernseys they wore during the match and donned the “bars” for the victorious photo. And to cap it off, Travis Boak was sporting the controversial jumper when he fronted the media alongside coach Ken Hinkley after the match. Loved it.

U – UP IN SMOKE

We now have to wait and see what Willie Rioli’s latest drug indiscretion means in the long run. West Coast will meet as a board and you suspect the Eagles will also be in contact with the AFL over what is an appropriate response. We have heard Rioli is ashamed of his behaviour. So he should be. It is another violation of trust and when trust is breached within a sporting organisation, or any organisation for that matter, your position becomes tenuous.

V – VAMOS VALACHI

The Margaret Hepple-trained dog might not have the profile of some of his rivals, but it would pay to consider him in the second heat of the WA Derby at Cannington tomorrow night. Box seven suits, as does the small field of six where the first two will progress to the final. The first of the four heats on another high-quality night of chasing comes up at 8.43pm.

W – WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH

So help me god. Eyebrows were raised this week when it was revealed Daniel Rioli and Shai Bolton were involved in a nightclub altercation after alleged inappropriate behaviour towards Rioli’s partner. Rioli required stitches for a cut under his right eye, while Bolton underwent surgery on a fractured wrist. Richmond say they are comfortable with the players’ version of events, but there have been reports contrary to what we first heard from the Tigers’ perspective. What we do know for sure is AFL boss Gillon McLachlan felt Rioli and Bolton should have walked away rather than squared up.

X – X-RAYS

St Kilda hoped for the best and feared the worst when Zak Jones injured a quad at training on Wednesday. Sadly, their worst fears were realised when the line-breaking midfielder was found to have ruptured a tendon in his right leg, ruling him out for two months. It is a bitter blow for the Saints, who have made some progress in the past fortnight ahead of tonight’s clash with Geelong at Marvel Stadium. His absence, coupled with the ongoing unavailability of fellow recruit Dan Hannebery, deprives Brett Ratten of firepower through the midfield.

Y – YOUNG BUCK

Versus the old bull (or gelding in this case). That is how the market is assessing tomorrow’s Group 1 Doomben 10,000. In one corner, we have the up and comer, the blue-blooded Wild Ruler, who is chasing a victory at the elite level that will guarantee him a profitable career in the breeding barn. To do that however, he must overcome the gnarly seven-year-old Eduardo, who won a Group 1 two starts ago and most recently ran third to Nature Strip in the TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick. Which corner are you in?

Z – ZAAKI’S BID

For Group 1 glory in the Doomben Cup next weekend is well and truly on track. He will encounter fresh blood in the form of Mugatoo and Sir Dragonet, but the 2000m of the weight-for-age feature looks to be right up his alley. The Anabel Neasham-trained import let down powerfully to claim last weekend’s Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at Gold Coast, his victory made all the more impressive considering the strength of his opposition. If he doesn’t go backwards, his rivals are going to have to come forward in a big way to take him down in the Doomben Cup.