Tempted toppled a racing superstar at Randwick, Kingswood claimed a Caulfield Cup marred by a fall, and the Wallabies endured another difficult afternoon against New Zealand.
The champion was beaten. Tempted held off Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising to win the $20 million Everest at Randwick, reversing their finishing order from last year’s race.
Chad Schofield partnered the Ciaron Maher-trained mare to victory, delivering a memorable result for Godolphin against the defending champion. Ka Ying Rising’s late challenge fell short in one of the spring’s biggest racing moments.
Kingswood claimed the Caulfield Cup for trainer Gavin Bedggood and jockey John Allen, beating Saint George in the famous staying feature.
But celebrations were tempered by a frightening incident involving defending champion Half Yours.
Last year’s Caulfield and Melbourne Cup winner fell late in the straight, bringing down jockey Mark Zahra. Ohope Wins and rider Jye McNeil also came down.
The condition of the horses and riders had not been independently confirmed at the time of writing.
Australia’s hopes of salvaging a drawn Bledisloe Cup series disappeared under another All Blacks attacking onslaught.
New Zealand won 43–21 at Sydney’s Accor Stadium, following last weekend’s 50–19 victory in Auckland.
The visitors had surged to a 36–7 half-time lead. Australia improved after the break, but the damage was already done as New Zealand extended their winning streak against the Wallabies to 13 matches.
Earlier at the same ground, Australia’s women delivered a far happier result.
The Wallaroos overwhelmed Scotland 56–12, running in eight tries during an emphatic performance.
It was a welcome lift for the home crowd at a landmark event bringing Australia’s four senior rugby union teams together on the same program.
Five seconds: that was all that stood between Australia’s men and victory over Fiji.
A late Fijian try produced a 19–19 draw in their Sydney sevens clash, leaving the teams level after splitting Friday’s two matches.
Australia’s women lost Saturday’s encounter with New Zealand 21–12 despite two tries from Maddison Levi. They had already won both Friday games, giving them a 2–1 result across the three meetings.
Australia’s 40–0 World Cup win over Samoa on Friday night was followed by online abuse over pre-match national anthem footage.
News.com.au reported Millie Elliott and Jaime Chapman were among players targeted after appearing not to sing, with comments hidden or deleted on official social pages.
The report did not establish their reasons or confirm a protest.
Papua New Guinea began its men’s Rugby League World Cup campaign with a 42–18 victory over Lebanon in Port Moresby.
England and Tonga meet in Perth later on Saturday, with kick-off scheduled for 8.05pm Melbourne time.
Newcastle hosts a Rugby League World Cup double-header, with New Zealand facing Fiji in the women’s competition at 1.50pm, followed by Fiji against the Cook Islands in the men’s at 4.05pm.
Then attention turns across the Tasman as the Diamonds face the Silver Ferns in Auckland’s Constellation Cup opener at 5.40pm.
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