Pirate Galaxy » be dont dump him yet. There is ever

FFA Cup holders Melbourne Victory have needed a lone strike from goal king Besart Berisha to see off semi-professional side Hume City and advance to the quarter-finals.Victory were pushed to the limit on Wednesday night in an at-times feisty affair at ABD Stadium in Melbournes northern suburbs, in a repeat of last seasons semi-final.Berisha netted from the penalty spot midway through the first half to extend his FFA Cup goalscoring record to 10 in as many matches.Victory were fortunate to be awarded the penalty as midfielder Fahid Ben Khalfallah went to ground easily after dribbling into the penalty area.Melbourne dominated possession with Socceroo midfield pair Oliver Bozanic and new signing James Troisi looking sharp, but Hume created several half-chances of their own.Kym Harris was denied a second-half equaliser for Hume after some desperate, last-gasp defending from Victory.One-time Socceroo midfielder Carl Valeri, who missed much of last season through illness, didnt take the field and is set for a stint on the sidelines after having his tonsils removed.Tim Cahills homecoming began in winning fashion as Melbourne City claimed a hard-fought 2-1 comeback win over former National Soccer League champions Brisbane Strikers.Socceroo star Cahill enjoyed close to a half-hour cameo, but it was last seasons A-League top-scorer Bruno Fornaroli who was the difference after netting penalties in each half.Canberra Olympic ended the run of giantkillers Redlands United, the Brisbane-based side who shocked Adelaide United in the previous round.Futsal international Angelo Konstantinou and prolific veteran striker Robbie Cattanach scored in a 2-0 win in the nations capital.Blacktown City are also through to the quarter-finals after easing to a comfortable 3-0 over fellow Sydney club Bonnyrigg White Eagles.Brian Goodwin Jersey . Anthony Davis had 31 points and 17 rebounds in his seventh straight game with more than 20 points, but that was only enough to keep the Pelicans competitive into the final minutes. Andrew Bogut had 10 points and 15 rebounds for Golden State, which rebounded from a loss a night earlier in Oklahoma City and snapped a two-game skid. Trevor Cahill Jersey . The quest begins with what is supposed to be an easy one, although Germany has traditionally been a stubborn opponent to Canadian teams at international tournaments. http://www.baseballangelslockroom.com/ .5 seconds to play in the game, Kevin Love never stopped believing that they would come out of there with a win. Darin Erstad Angels Jersey . The phone hearing is scheduled for 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt. Winchester, who was not penalized for the hit, appeared to make contact with Kellys head early in the first period of Thursdays game in Boston. Mike Trout Jersey . Instead of dwelling on the negative, Oates focused on what was good about the clubs recent play. It worked.It was just one of those days when you were glad you were at the races.If you couldnt be there and watched it from wherever you were, there had to be something other than blood flowing through your veins if didnt get swept up, and felt the thrill, with what Winx delivered racing fans and sports lovers alike in notching her second victory in the Group 1 Cox Plate over 2040 metres.Winx ($1.70) was absolutely brilliant and she made a very good field look like nothing more than second-raters. She not only notched her 13th consecutive win but also her ninth at Group 1 level, and became the 14th horse to win the Plate twice.Her winning margin of eight lengths was a Cox Plate record. Billed as a match race between the Chris Waller-trained five-year-old mare and the John OShea-trained Hartnell ($5), the latter was just no match while Yankee Rose, as featured by ESPN, ran an eye-catching third at $13.The United States was given a winning vote by punters and he was back to his best with Kerrin McEvoy aboard in the Group 2 Schweppes Crystal Mile (1600m). Quizzically, he was a drifter with UBET from $2.80 to $3.50. Veering wide on the turn, the 2015 Moonee Valley Cup winner was returning from what co-owner Nick Williams described as man flu to beat the Darren Weir-trained pair of Lidari ($26) and Ulmann ($9.50), and now proceeds to the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (2000m) on November 5.Grand Marshall hadnt won a race since the 2015 Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m), but he was back on the winners list in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Cup (2500m). It was another winner on the day for Chris Waller. The seven-year-old gelding will head to the Emirates Melbourne Cup over the two miles at $26 with UBET.The final event of the day was the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m), which provided a final hit-out for the Derby-bound three-year-olds. Already a Group 1 winner in Brisbane, Sacred Elixir ($4.80) gave every indication that Saturdays 2500 metre Derby trip would suit him as he notched a half-length win over the Adelaide visitor Morvada ($51) and the Robbie Laing-trained So Si Bon ($6).The opening meeting of the Cox Plate Carnival was staged under lights on Friday night, when the Gary Portelli-trained Rebel Dane floored punters in winning the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at $61. The seven-year-old broke through at his 18th attempt at the top level, while $2.45 favourite Chatauqua finished down the track unplaced.Headline ActWinx: If you could bottle sporting moments, this winning performance would be one youd reserve for the top shelf. The Cox Plate over the past 40 years has become the race on the Australian calendar, with very few easily forgettable editions, and that is a mark of its quality given the poker machine-style constantly coming at you racing schedule nowadays; you can understand why punters on and off the track can become ambivalent by even the biggest of races, but this was not one of those cases.As Hugh Bowman set Winx alight from the 700 metres mark, the mare rounded up the field as she set a course towards the middle of the track and drew away leaving the well-worn racing expression daylight second very much to the fore; her eight-length winning margin broke the six lengths notched by Dulcify in 1979 and Sunline in 2000.It wasnt just her performance, though. The crowd was cheering as she loomed before the home turn. Applauding a winner before it crosses the line happens just as rarely. With 100 metres to run, no one in the Moonee Valley grandstand remained in their seat. More unusually still, they stayed upstanding well after Winx had returned to the winners circle. They did it when Might And Power won in 1998 and again with Sunline.The moment wasnt lost on Chris Waller or Hugh Bowman. If there is any pressure with being associated with Winx, Bowman doesnt show it. For Waller, there were the misty eyes that became commonplace when he wins big races, but not as often now with the consistent success that his stable is achieving. However, that seemingly never-ceasing racing clock buzzed again the next morning as Waller was already back in Sydney to tend to his other charges for wherever their less loftier aims might be.It was an extraordinary occasion and no one who wanted to be on board was left behind.Talking PointsThe weather: Early in the day, it just wasnt being kind. A chilly breeze, at times horizontal sheets of rain, and dark grey skies threatened to be the main news. Not since Fields Of Omaghs first Cox Plate win in 2003 had this raceday witnessed such inclement weather. As the Cox Plate would be race 17 within the 24-hour period, including the eight-race card the night before, track bias was always going to be a concern.And so it appeared to be. The rail was an absolute no-go zone with most runners scouting wider on the course in search of the better ground.dddddddddddd Heavy rain around Cox Plate Day was always going to happen at some stage. Now it has and one wonders whether the wisdom of holding the meeting on the Friday night before is really worth it when the main day, not to mention the main race, is subject to such severe track bias.The conditions saw the more experienced racegoers recall the even wetter occasion in 1975, when the meeting was called off after the Moonee Valley and Cox Plate events were run; the attendance of Princess Margaret was said to be the saviour of the meeting going ahead at all.Yankee Rose: She was striving to become the first three-year-old filly since Surround in 1976 to win the Cox Plate, and only the second overall, and her effort to run third was an excellent performance that had trainer David Vandyke feeling very proud. This could well be a defining Cox Plate in more ways that just Winxs performance. Hartnell, in finishing second, put on a slashing trial for the Melbourne Cup, for which he is now the outright $5 favourite, and Yankee Rose was so impressive that UBET odds makers might need to see a doctor for symptoms of RSI after they furiously wound her into $2.20 for the Crown Oaks.Daryl: Thats all that needs to be said. Braithwaite, that is. If you havent been a to a Cox Plate then you havent seen what is becoming one of the really good traditions of the Spring Carnival. With his annual rendition of his 1991 hit The Horses, the crowd sing-along gets better every year. While his usual platform stage was covered in water because of the rain, Daryl took to the grandstand. From ground level, on the lawns, the front bars to the highest point of the towering Moonee Valley stand, everyone was focused on Daryl. It never gets stale.EyecatchersSweet Sherry: After placing in a Listed race over the course and distance in early September, then illness forcing her out of the Thousand Guineas a fortnight ago, this three-year-old filly was eye-catching in winning the Listed Crockett Stakes (1200m). Settling toward the rear of the field early, then using the cambered Moonee Valley home turn in working her way around the field to pounce in the straight, it was also a welcome Carnival victory for heavier-weight jockey Steven Arnold. Starting as the $4 favourite with UBET, co-trainer Troy Corstens noted Sweet Sherrys next stop could be over 1400 metres on Melbourne Cup Day before the Group 2 Sandown Guineas (1600m) in three weeks time.Archives: In the other short course event for three-year-olds, Archives ($2.15) was a tough winner of the Group 3 event over 1200 metres. Having to sit out wide for the majority of the race, she then seemed all at sea on the turn as favourite backers were squeezing their tickets in anticipation; the skill of jockey James McDonald saw this colt with a very loping action fight back and win. With two wins and two placings from five starts, the John OShea stable now heads to Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) on Saturday with confidence.The Quarterback: The Moonee Valley circuit isnt his thing but The Quarterback ran a great third placing in the Manikato Stakes. It is a different story for him down the Flemington straight, where he is a winner there at Group 1 and Group 2 levels. He could be value too at $6 for the Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m) on November 5.BlackbookersCrafted: This Adelaide visitor forced Archives to pull out his best to win. One of the rougher chances in the six-horse field, Crafted ($21) used the cambered turn to his advantage but just wasnt good enough to the line. The performance was worthy of noting down for his next outing.So Si Bon: Was he disappointing in not winning the Vase? Maybe not, and maybe dont dump him yet. There is every chance that Flemington may suit him a lot better and the 2500 metres trip of the Derby on Saturday too. The colt is second favourite for the Derby at $7.50.Vadamos: The Stewards Report noted this French visitor over-raced in the mid-stages of the Cox Plate when opening up a big leading break at around the 1000 metres mark. Despite burning a significant amount of gas at that stage, he still finished a very creditable fourth behind Winx. A Group 1 winner in France at his previous start, hell be one to watch if he has another start in Melbourne over the Flemington carnival.FlopLady Le Fay: What is he doing? came the cries from favourite backers as Hugh Bowman steered a course along the inside rail aboard the $2.40 favourite in the Group 3 event over 1600 metres for the mares. Despite cutting the corner on the home turn, it delivered no advantage as she finished out of the money in sixth. ' ' '