Sydney three-year-old Winning Rupert was expected to do something special at Doomben and he delivered by running the second fastest 1200m ever at the Brisbane track.Winning Rupert ($1.10 fav) made it four wins from four starts when he cruised to the lead and scored by 5-1/2 lengths from Deep image ($21) in the Listed Gold Edition Plate.He ran 1.7.97secs, 0.09s outside the course record held by champion galloper Takeover Target who set the time 10 years ago.Winning Rupert now has only to win the Vo Rogue Plate (1350m) on New Years Eve or the Magic Millions Guineas on January 14 to pick up a $500,000 bonus.Jockey Jeff Lloyd and Bjorn Bakers stable representative Clare Cunningham had some bad news for Winning Ruperts rivals in both races.He is probably going a bit faster than you realise in his races. He is a very nice horse and he is only going to get better, Lloyd said.Cunningham said Winning Rupert could certainly get even better.I dont think we have emptied him out yet. He has had only four starts and I think he can do better, Cunningham said.He ran a course record at Eagle Farm and today he has got within a tick of a champions course record here.It really is exciting for us to have such a promising horse.Michael Cahill, who rode Deep Image, said his horse had done a great job at his first race start.He went very well but the winner was in a class of his own, he said. Superstar NZ Sale . "It was nerve-wracking, but we pulled through," said Collaros, who threw four touchdown passes to lead the Toronto Argonauts (8-4) to a 33-27 win over the Calgary Stampeders (9-3) in front of 28,781 fans at McMahon Stadium. X_Plr Shoes NZ . 8 Iowa State on Saturday, sending the Cyclones to their third consecutive loss. The Longhorns (14-4, 3-2) got their biggest win of the season with their third in the row in the Big 12. http://www.nmdshoesnz.com/adidas-nmd-r2-cheap-nz.html . Batiste, who briefly signed with the Eskimos in 2006, has spent time with several NFL teams including the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins. Originals Stan Smith NZ . After the whistle, Thornton skated the length of the ice, pulled Orpik to the ice from behind and punched him in the face several times. Adidas NMD R1 Womens NZ . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter.LONG POND, Pa. - What a homecoming for the Andrettis. Andretti Autosport made it a 1-2-3 start — with local star Marco Andretti leading the way — to create quite a splash as the IndyCar Series returned to Pocono Raceway for the first time since 1989. IndyCar is using three-wide starts at Pocono, making it an all-Andretti front row on a track not far from where one of racings greatest families has lived for decades. Andretti didnt just win the pole, he smashed the track record. His two-lap average speed of 221.273 mph was fast enough for the pole Saturday and knocked Emerson Fittipaldis speed of 211.715 in 1989 out of the top spot. Pocono is considered a hometown track for the Andrettis, who hail from nearby Nazareth. Now, the local kid is going to lead the field to green for the 400-mile race. Marcos father, Michael, owns the team. His grandfather, Mario, was one of racings greatest drivers and is still a fixture at the track. It might be time for a big family celebration at Lake Wallenpaupack. But dont forget to bring the teammates. Ryan Hunter-Reay starts second and James Hinchcliffe is third to help Andretti Autosport sweep the front row. "We have been making statement after statement, so its a good feeling," Marco said. Andretti won his second pole of the season. Michael Andretti won the Pocono pole in 1986 and Mario won the 1987 pole. Andretti was not yet 3 years old when three Andrettis — Michael, Mario and John — all competed in the last Pocono race. Andretti said he was excited to have the chance to drive in front of friends, family, maybe even most of the town will be packed into the grandstands. "Ive taken a huge liking to this place, as soon as I rolled off here in the initial test," Andretti said. "I really think the IndyCars are built for this track. This became my favourite track. I love Indianapolis. But the way this place races, its so challenging." Will Power starts fourth and Tony Kanaan fifth on the 2 1/2-mile tri-oval. Points leader Helio Castroneves starts sixth. Kanaan, the Indianapolis 500 winner, needs wins at Pocono and Fontana, Calif., to win the Triple Crown and a $1 million payout. "I think the Andretti guys were strong through the entire season," Kanaan said. "If you look at the Indyy 500 effort, I wasnt expecting anything less.dddddddddddd I dont think I had it for him for the pole. But this race is a 400-mile race. I dont think you can pick a favourite yet." Its hard to bet against Andretti, who topped both practice sessions Thursday and has his eye on the winners circle. The last time a team swept a three-car front row in an IndyCar event was the 1988 Indianapolis 500, with Penske Racings Rick Mears, Danny Sullivan and Al Unser. "It does help. Theres co-operation there," Hunter-Reay said. "Its like, Go ahead, after you. No, after you. But thats only for the first lap. After that, we get going." Andretti driver E.J. Viso was in position to qualify fourth until he slammed into the wall. He walked away from the accident. Alex Tagliani also was unhurt after his car tagged the wall. The return to Pocono is being celebrated as a nod to IndyCars history and tradition. Poconos three corners were designed in 1965 to model corners at Indianapolis, Milwaukee and now-defunct Trenton, and fans have always considered the track an important venue in open wheel racing. With Pocono back on the schedule, IndyCar resurrected the "Triple Crown" challenge, a three-race competition in 2013 for $1 million to the driver that wins the Indianapolis 500, the 400-miler at Pocono and the season finale at Fontana. A driver who wins two of the three can win a $250,000 bonus from promotion sponsor Fuzzys Vodka. IndyCar ran a "Triple Crown" at Indianapolis, Pocono and Ontario from 1971-1980 and from 1981-1989 at Indy, Pocono and Michigan. Only Unser won all three races in a single season, in 1978. Kanaan is the only driver eligible to win $1 million dollars after his breakthrough race at Indy. He knows sweeping the three races wont be easy. "My boss tells me, all the time, thats why I get paid the big bucks," Kanaan said. Pocono CEO and president Brandon Igdalsky said after qualifying that ticket sales were solid for the holiday weekend race and there was a strong turnout of fans who dont attend the tracks two NASCAR Sprint Cup races. "I was extremely impressed with the amount of people that came to watch us today," Kanaan said. "Ive always heard good things about this place and Im excited about it." ' ' '
