Craig Bellamy picks Ronan Kpakio for Wales after failing to buy him for Burnley
Craig Bellamy has revealed he tried to sign Ronan Kpakio at Burnley after naming the Cardiff teenager in his Wales squad. Full-back Kpakio, 18 last Sunday, was the surprise name in Bellamy's 27-strong squad on Wednesday for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Belgium. Kpakio made his first league start for Cardiff on the final day of the season at Norwich after being capped by Wales at various age-grade levels. The right-back – who only turned 18 on Sunday and has captained Wales several times at youth level – has been named in Craig Bellamy's 27-strong squad.
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News.com.au
6 hours ago
- News.com.au
Warwick Farm best bets, inside mail for Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Racenet and The Daily Telegraph form analyst Adam Sherry provides his best bets and race-by-race analysis at Warwick Farm on Wednesday. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! â â â â â WARWICK FARM TIPS BEST BET Race 4 No.5: SOUNDS UNUSUAL Nice efforts to place in both runs this campaign. Won third-up last time in. NEXT BEST Race 5 No.1: BLACK RUN Solid efforts in his three Australian starts. Ready to break through VALUE BET Race 7 No.16: STARMAE Will appreciate a drop back in grade and weight. Drawn ideally. BEST EXOTIC Quinella Race 5: 1, 2 QUADDIE Race 4: 5, 8 Race 5: 1, 2 Race 6: 1, 2, 8 Race 7: 6, 11, 16 JOCKEY TO FOLLOW JAMES MCDONALD will be popular in the TAB Jockey Challenge. â â â â â WARWICK FARM INSIDE MAIL RACE 1: 2YOF MAIDEN HANDICAP (1100m) SWORDPLAY (8) is a sister to the five-time stakes winner Recommendation. This filly led all the way for a big win on a Heavy 8 in her Apr 29 Warwick Farm trial and was an even bigger winner her May 9 Rosehill heat. ERNAUX (10) made a run along the fence and just tired late when fourth to Wootton Lass in her debut run on the Kensington on Mar 26. Wasn't pushed in her recent Rosehill trial. PENPEL (1) had shown nice ability in her trials and debuted with a second behind the impressive Agarwood at Warwick Farm on May 7. BET: SWORDPLAY to win. RACE 2: 3YOF MAIDEN PLATE (1300m) FROSTY GIRL (5) is a first starter by Super Seth. Drifted back early before working home for third to Homeric in her Apr 24 Randwick trial. Sat back and wide before taking off before the 400m in winning her May 13 Warwick Farm heat. CINSAULT (3) has placed in each of her five starts to date including a close third to Declichy Boulevard here. Was runner-up to Extremely Hardys at her last run on July 3. Has trialled well ahead of her return. CATONAHOTINROOF (2) bombed the start and was tailed off before finishing fifth to Celestial Breeze at Canberra last start. BET: FROSTY GIRL to win. RACE 3: 2YO & 3YO MAIDEN PLATE (1100m) CENTRAL COAST (9) is by Woottom Bassett from Sunlight. Got back before coming wide in the straight and making ground for third to Exterio in his May 13 trial here. Settled fourth closed off well for a close second to Albany Road on his May 29 Rosehill trial. CELERITY (3) placed third to Enriched here and third to Gangsta Granny at Hawkesbury at her two runs last campaign. Had one trial in January before another break and has won her two recent trials in very good fashion. REGIMENTAL COLOURS (6) was OK on her first campaign with two placings. Nice win in her May 13 heat here. BET: CENTRAL COAST to win. RACE 4: BENCHMARK 72 HANDICAP (1600m) SOUNDS UNUSUAL (5) closed off nicely for a neck second to Dame Commander when resuming here on May 7. Was bumped twice just after straightening when making his run when second to Good Prize here two weeks ago. CANARA (8) was held up on straightening and made up good ground late when a two length third to Maori Chief on Kensington two runs back. Raced wide without cover when fifth to Just Feelin' Lucky at Canterbury last week. Nose roll is off and blinkers back on. PIRAEUS (3) won a Class 3 at Eagle Farm before racing wide when ninth to Fukubana at Doomben last start. BET: SOUNDS UNUSUAL to win. RACE 5: BENCHMARK 72 HANDICAP (2200m) BLACK RUN (1) was a handy fourth to Poppin' Champagne here at his Australian debut before a third to Jamberoo at the Hawkesbury stand-alone meeting. Boxed on for a three-quarter-length second to Knights Amour on a Heavy 10 here last start. UP AND UNDER (2) got back and battled away along the fence when fourth to Dame Commander over 1600m here two starts back. Rolled forward to lead last start when third to Knights Amour over 2110m last start. HIGHBORN HARRY (6) was always well back in an on-speed dominated race on the Kensington before a close third to Walking painting in the Midway at Scone. BET: BLACK RUN to win. RACE 6: 3YO & 4YO BENCHMARK 72 HANDICAP (1100m) MANAAJEM (8) was impressive winning from Vanlee and Blanc De Noir on debut at Wyong on Dec 31. Pulled up lame when fifth to Alliri on the Kensington 15 days later. Led out wide when a big winner in her May 5 Randwick trial. Closed smartly for a close second to Corniche in her latest heat here. LIVIN' THING (1) resumed with a nice win Zaragoza at Kembla before stepping up to city grade when fourth to First Person here two weeks ago. NIGHT SKY (9) debuted with a smart win from Luinate on a Soft 7 at Wyong on Apr 17 before returning two weeks later with a fourth to the in-form Are Ee Que on a Heavy 10. BET: MANAAJEM to win. RACE 7: 4YO+ BENCHMARK 72 HANDICAP (1300m) STARMAE (16) was held up until inside the last 100m when fifth to Memoria at Randwick on Apr 26 before a three length seventh to oh Diamond Lil and Mickey's Medal at the Scone stand-alone meeting. Drawn well and drops in weight with the claim. BELIEVE IN ANGELS (11) will take improvement from his first-up second behind First Person over 100m here two weeks ago. Step up to 1300m suits. He was a second-up winner at this track last campaign. KADALL (6) was a length-and-a-half seventh to Thunderlips on the Kensington second-up before third to Oh Diamond Lil at Scone. BET: STARMAE each-way.


Perth Now
8 hours ago
- Perth Now
Storm players waiting on Bellamy's big call
Melbourne players are in the dark about Craig Bellamy's future despite their coach saying he intends to make an decision this week on whether to continue for a 24th year at the helm of the NRL club. The 65-year-old has shown no signs of slowing down, this year adding to his work-load by joining the NSW State of Origin coaching team as a consultant. But having signed a five-year contract back in 2022 that allows him to decide each year whether he will continue in the head coach position or transition into a coaching director role, the question comes around annually. One of the premiership favourites, Melbourne are currently fourth on the ladder after some inconsistent form that has seen them go win-loss since round six. They host sixth-placed North Queensland on Friday night and are set to be back to full-strength after skipper Harry Grant and winger Xavier Coates sat out their Gold Coast win following State of Origin duty. Dally M Medal-winning halfback Jarome Hughes said he hadn't heard any whispers around what call his coach might make. Star playmaker Cameron Munster has been enlisted in the past to persuade "Bellyache" to sign on but also hadn't made a visit to his office. The coach has been rumoured to be considering a shift to the Titans in 2027, relocating to his Gold Coast property to be near extended family. "Usually around this time it's all in the papers of what he's going to do but there hasn't been much talk," vice-captain Hughes said. "He probably wouldn't want that to distract anyone either, likes to keep that close to his chest, what he's going to do. "I guess it's that time of year where it's probably going to come up now and he's probably going to have to make a decision soon and I'm sure Munny (Munster) will be back in his office trying to get him to stay another year." Hughes felt that Bellamy was still the best coach in the game and hoped he could be convinced to continue in the role, that he first took on in 2003 and has since led the Storm to 21 finals series. "He's such a great coach and he's been such a great mentor for all of us players for so long - so the longer he stays the better. "It's whatever's best for him and his family and whatever he wants to do but I can't see him hanging it up too soon. "He'll get bored at home in his mansion at Albert Park so I'm sure he'll go around again."

News.com.au
8 hours ago
- News.com.au
‘He'd get bored at home in his mansion': Storm players back Craig Bellamy to stay on in 2026 as veteran coach weighs up future
Melbourne halfback Jahrome Hughes says Craig Bellamy would get easily bored if he decides to retire at the end of the season, which is why he expects the veteran coach to stay on for at least another year. Bellamy has an option to remain in charge of the premiership favourites in 2026 and is likely to make a call on his coaching future in the coming weeks to give the club plenty of time to find a replacement if he does decide to call time on his glittering career. A decision was made on May 10 last year for him to coach on in 2025, with the early mail that he will make a similar call very soon. The seven-time Dally M Coach of the Year has helped turn the Storm into one of the biggest sporting franchises in Australia since he arrived in 2003. It's why they'd love for him to stay as long as he wants, with champion five-eighth Cameron Munster likely to walk into his coach's office and deliver his traditional pitch for him to stay. 'Usually around this time it's all in the papers with what he's going to do, but there hasn't been much talk about what he's going to do,' Hughes said. 'He probably wouldn't want that to distract anyone. He likes to keep that close to his chest with what he's going to do, but I'm sure he'll reach out soon. 'It probably hasn't been spoken about as much as previous years, but I guess it's that time of year when it's probably going to come up now. 'He's probably going to have to make a decision soon, and I'm sure 'Mun' will be back in his office to get him to stay another year. 'He's such a great coach and such a great mentor for all of us players. The longer he stays, the better. But for me, it's whatever's best for him and his family. 'I can't see him hanging it up too soon because he'd get bored at home in his mansion. I'm sure he'll go around again.' Bellamy could well add another premiership this season with the Storm favourites with the bookies to go all the way, but they'll need to be better than they were in the win over the Titans. They've been fairly inconsistent in recent weeks but should get skipper Harry Grant back for Friday's home game against the Cowboys after he was rested for the trip north. 'It was a scrappy win, but it was good to get those scrappy wins,' Hughes said. 'It's not always going to be pretty, so it's good to get one of those out of the way and know that we can win that way.'