Latest news with #InvincibleShield
New Paper
13-05-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
May 14 Hong Kong (Happy Valley) form analysis
Race 1 (1,800m) 9 Yeaboi has been the victim of wide barriers in both runs this prep but has finished off strongly each time. This marks his first try at the course and distance and, though drawn in barrier 10, he does look ready to turn in a peak effort. 8 Mr Aladdin stuck on well from an awkward alley last time to hold second, though he remains a 21-start maiden. A win is within reach. 10 Leather Master broke through at his 20th attempt last start over this track and trip. The margin of over a length last start bodes well for his chances again. 2 Kingly Demeanor can bounce back at any time in Class 5, boasting two wins from eight attempts in the grade. He has early speed and can give a bold sight if he gets things his own way. Race 2 (1,000m) 7 Parents' Love has hit his straps this season, collecting three wins and six placings from 11 starts. His last run marked his first Class 3 attempt, which he took in his stride with a solid third. He looks likely to map well on the lead again and gets a genuine chance to pick up a win. 1 Stellar Express has trialled well and drops back in both trip and class - two factors that could bring out his best. 4 Seasons Wit bounced back to form last start, sitting wide throughout but still charging to finish second. If he can slot in with cover from barrier 1, he will be right in the mix. 5 Looking Bright is a newcomer who has trialled smartly, showing good gate speed. A forward showing first-up would not surprise. Race 3 (1,650m) 5 Midori Fuji has his fifth attempt in Class 4. He put the writing on the wall last start with a fast-finishing second to Happy Daily at this course and trip, suggesting he is close to breaking through. 1 Sunday's Serenade is chasing a hat-trick of wins and looking to maintain his unbeaten record at Happy Valley. Since switching from Sha Tin, the city circuit has clearly brought out the best in him. 10 Super Sicario has shown little on paper but has never drawn well in five starts. He has caught the eye at times and, with a more favourable gate and a rise in distance, he could improve sharply at odds. 12 Courier Magic's last start was moderate, but his earlier form was solid enough to warrant respect. From barrier 2, he can enjoy a sweet run in transit. Race 4 (1,650m) 5 Soleil Fighter returns to his pet track and distance, where he boasts an outstanding record of three wins and four placings from nine attempts. He was last seen resuming from a two-month break over 1,400m at Sha Tin in his first try at Class 2 level, and he turned in a very promising run, finishing runner-up to Invincible Shield. He looks well placed to go one better. 1 Helene Feeling looks primed to improve in a race of this nature following a string of solid efforts at Sha Tin, placing behind the likes of Bundle Award and Voyage Samurai. 4 Californiatotality won a strong Class 2 over 1,800m last time. He enjoys rolling forward and still appears to have points in hand. 3 Telecom Fighters is a hard horse to catch, but he will again be setting the pace and will take some running down if left alone in the lead. Race 5 (1,200m) 4 Sight Happy resumed from barrier 11 last time and was held up for a run in the straight, albeit checking in just under three lengths to finish seventh. Second-up from a much better draw, expect a more forward showing. 1 Galaxy Witness drops into Class 4 off a mark of 60. He has been running on well in recent starts and commands attention back in this grade. 3 Fortune Whiskey continues to race well this season since joining David Eustace. His last-start third showed he is still holding his form. 11 New Power has placed in three of his last five starts and is knocking on the door for another win. With his consistent form, he has to be around the mark again. Race 6 (1,200m) 8 Bienvenue is a 3YO who has shown ability. There was plenty to like about his first spin around the city circuit last time, when he closed strongly against the race shape, finishing a neck runner-up. 1 California Deeply drops to Class 4 and, while his recent form reads moderately, he has been close-up in better races. This marks a notable dip in opposition and he can improve. 5 Incredible Moment led throughout before being checked at the 100m and unbalanced, yet still finished a respectable fourth on debut. Fitness and experience should bring him on. 7 Harmony N Home was a winner two starts ago and backed it up with another solid effort when wide throughout last time. He remains a live chance. Race 7 (1,200m) 3 Swagger Bro drew an inside gate and finished a close-up third three starts ago while in his last two starts, wide barriers forced more negative tactics - yet he still closed off with purpose despite traffic issues. 7 Glory B draws perfectly in barrier 4 and has been a model of consistency this season. He again shapes as a solid hope with Hugh Bowman booked to ride. 10 Solar River comes off a strong effort where he led everywhere bar the line, collared late by Fatal Blow. With natural improvement and tactical speed, he remains a leading chance. 6 Beauty Thunder produced his best run yet last start with a neck-second over this course and trip. He is starting to hit his straps with racing, and a drop in the ratings can see him build on that effort. Race 8 (1,800m) 8 Joy Of Spring needs to race closer to the speed to boost his winning chances. Fourth-up at his preferred course and distance, he draws well enough to revert to those tactics. Wide alleys in his last two starts saw him snagged back and ridden for luck - both runs were strong late. 3 Excellence Value ran second at his first try over this course and distance last start. He has done little wrong in six local starts and shapes as a serious contender. 2 Rocket Spade resumed over the extended mile from barrier 11 and was taken back early before finishing strongly for second. That was a promising effort full of merit and sets him up well second-up. 9 Chain Of Gold is a hard horse to catch but his form reads well. He had little luck in running from wide gates at this track in his past two starts and closed off strongly for fifth last time. He is worth including at odds. Race 9 (1,200m) 2 Crimson Flash donned the blinkers for the first time on his fifth Hong Kong start and was ultra impressive, surging home from midfield to score dominantly. The 3YO has hit his straps and looks worth sticking with while the iron is hot, especially after a sharp trial. 1 Lucky Eight has been knocking on the door with a string of runner-up finishes, including back-to-back seconds to Beauty Infinity and Power Koepp. He deserves another chance and must be included. 3 Storm Rider has taken to Happy Valley well since being switched to this course and distance three starts ago, closing in hard on debut at the course and trip before consecutive seconds. With the right run, he will be in the thick of it again. 7 Northern Fire Ball is chasing back-to-back wins after collecting his second win from nine starts last time. He rises to Class 3 and, while this is another level, he is progressive, though some early pressure could test him. Comments courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Judas Priest's Rob Halford is 'gutted' to not be playing Black Sabbath's final show: 'I had no idea it was happening!'
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Rob Halford has commented on Judas Priest missing the last Black Sabbath concert later this year. Talking exclusively to Metal Hammer, the venerated Metal God explains that he and his band are committed to play the 60th-anniversary show of German hard rock legends Scorpions, taking place in Hannover on July 5. The celebration falls on the same day as Sabbath's swansong, which is taking place more than 600 miles away at Villa Park in Birmingham. The clash means that Priest will be one of very few veteran metal bands not appearing on Sabbath's bill, with the likes of Metallica, Slayer, Guns N' Roses, Slayer and many others having been confirmed. Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne will also host his final-ever solo show at the event. Halford tells Hammer: 'I had no idea it was happening!" "We've known this guy Ossy Hoppe - he's like god in Germany for metal," Rob explains. "He came in to see me at one of our last shows and says, 'Would you consider doing something really special and important? I'm putting on the Scorpions for their 60th anniversary, in their hometown. Would you work with the band?' And I was just like, 'Done! We've got no plans it's all good.'" 'It all got announced and was a big deal – Scorpions and Priest – and suddenly I get this phone call [from Sharon Osbourne]: 'Robbie, I know you've got this gig with Scorpions, but could you consider coming over to do a thing with Ozzy and the guys, he'd love to see you.'' Halford goes on to explain that Sharon even offered to fly Rob back to Birmingham on the day of the show to make a guest appearance. "My mind went to Phil Collins when he did Live Aid, where he got on the Concord from London to Philadelphia to play two gigs in two places," Rob says. "He was there before he left, thanks to the timezones!" The singer adds that, as much as he'd love to play Sabbath's farewell, rushing between Germany and the UK to make both performances happen would be 'dangerous'. 'Even with a private plane, there's a word called 'technical', where something could go wrong, or the weather that time of year could cause problems… I was absolutely gutted,' he says. Though no current Priest member is slated to play Sabbath's show, Halford highlights that founding guitarist K.K. Downing, who departed the lineup in 2011, will be there and represent 'the spirit of the band'. 'All my mates are going to be there though, great bands and artists,' the frontman continues. 'It's a wonderful and epic moment for Sabbath and heavy metal – it re-emphasises that Birmingham is where metal came from.' Sabbath and Priest are both long-serving Birmingham bands who've had an enduring impact on heavy metal music. Priest concerts often feature a large, inflatable bull, paying tribute to their hometown and its historical 'Bull Ring' area. Priest wrapped up the touring cycle for their 2024 album, Invincible Shield, in Monterrey, Mexico, on Wednesday (May 7). However, the band will play numerous festival dates in the summer, as well as the Scorpions show and a handful of headliners celebrating the 35th anniversary of their Painkiller release. Then, from July until October, the metal legends will co-headline dates in Europe and North America with shock rocker Alice Cooper. See all details via the Judas Priest website.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Judas Priest and Alice Cooper Plot Heavy Co-Headlining Tour
Judas Priest and Alice Cooper are bringing a legendary co-headlining tour across 22 North American cities late this summer and into the fall. Kicking off in September in Mississippi, the trek will take the pair of hard-rock acts across the U.S. and Canada until the end of October. Corrosion of Conformity will join them on the tour and will appear on all dates except for the Sept. 18 show in Georgia. Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. local time, with artist presale tickets available beginning Wednesday. More from Rolling Stone Les Binks, Former Drummer for Judas Priest, Dead at 73 Judas Priest's Richie Faulkner 'Struggles' to Play Sometimes Because of Brain Damage Alice Cooper Once Tossed a Chicken Into an Audience. A New Doc Captures the Mayhem The tour announcement comes shortly after news broke that former Judas Priest drummer Les Binks died. Binks played with the band for two years, appearing on the albums Stained Class and Killing Machine as well as the live record Unleashed in the East. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame alongside the rest of the band in 2022 and even played alongside them at the ceremony. Judas Priest released their 19th album, Invincible Shield, last spring and toured in support of it. Cooper's most recent album is 2023's Road. This summer, he will embark on a solo headlining Too Close for Comfort Tour in support of it. Judas Priest and Alice Cooper Tour Dates Sept. 16 – Biloxi, MS @ Mississippi Coast ColiseumSept. 18 – Alpharetta, GA @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre*Sept. 20 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music PavilionSept. 21 – Franklin, TN @ FirstBank AmphitheaterSept. 24 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans AmphitheaterSept. 26 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts CenterSept. 27 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Broadview Stage at SPACSept. 29 – Toronto, ON @ Budweiser StageOct. 1 – Burgettstown, PA @ The Pavilion at Star LakeOct. 2 – Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music TheatreOct. 4 – Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music CenterOct. 5 – Tinley Park, IL @ Credit Union 1 AmphitheatreOct. 10 – Colorado Springs, CO @ Broadmoor World ArenaOct. 12 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Utah First Credit Union AmphitheatreOct. 14 – Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline AmphitheatreOct. 15 – Wheatland, CA @ Toyota AmphitheatreOct. 18 – Chula Vista, CA @ North Island Credit Union AmphitheatreOct. 19 – Los Angeles, CA @ Kia ForumOct. 22 – Phoenix, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort AmphitheatreOct. 23 – Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta AmphitheaterOct. 25 – Austin, TX @ Germania Insurance AmphitheaterOct. 26 – Houston, TX @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion * Without support from Corrosion of Conformity Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
South China Morning Post
09-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Lyle Hewitson hoping for an awesome foursome on improving Invincible Shield at Sha Tin
The South African jockey will hop aboard the progressive galloper for the first time on Saturday Lyle Hewitson is hoping Invincible Shield can continue his rapid rise up the ratings and notch a brilliant four-timer in the Class Two Pok Fu Lam Reservoir Road Handicap (1,200m) at Sha Tin on Saturday. Francis Lui Kin-wai's galloper was a well-beaten 11th on his local debut but has done nothing but improve since, securing his first win in the form of a gutsy Class Three win over course and distance back in February. He followed that up by powering away late in another course and distance Class Three one month later, but he really hit the headlines with a Class Two 1,400m win over a smart field on Champions Day. It will be the first time Hewitson has ridden the I Am Invincible colt in a race and he knows he has a real fight on his hands to keep his horse looking invincible against a stacked field. Invincible Shield is SERIOUSLY GOOD! 🫡 Francis Lui's burgeoning sprinter makes it a hat-trick of wins at Sha Tin and first in Class 2 with @CWilliamsJockey up...#FWDChampionsDay | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 27, 2025 'I was supposed to ride him the second time he ran but unfortunately I was suspended and then missed the boat, so I struggled to get on him,' said Hewitson. 'He impressed me from day one. I always thought he was a Class One horse and that there was scope for improvement later on as well. It's getting harder now that he's racked up the rating points and I'm probably getting on at the toughest stage. 'It's a nice race but he'll handle himself well and he will perform – hopefully he can continue his winning ways but it's getting more difficult. 'Every time, except first time out, he's had a perfect scenario with the race shape and draws. He does have a nice draw in five and it could work out for him again, but we're going to have to be on our game to win a race like this.' The 27-year-old currently sits on the 19-winner mark for the campaign but he has endured a further 35 second-place finishes and 29 thirds during what has been a frustrating season at times. Hewitson was also forced to bounce back from another setback after he hit the Sha Tin turf back in December and suffered a knee injury and heavy bruising to his quadriceps. It continued his wretched luck with injuries, with the South African previously fracturing his pelvis in a horror fall in the 2021 Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m) early in his Hong Kong tenure.
Forbes
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Judas Priest's Decades-Old Concert Gives The Band A New Bestseller
Judas Priest's Live in Atlanta '82 debuts at No. 40 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart, giving the ... More metal legends a seventeenth career entry. British heavy metal group Judas Priest perform onstage at the Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, Illinois, June 14, 1984. Pictured are, from left, guitarist KK Downing, singer Rob Halford, and guitarist Glenn Tipton. (Photo by) Judas Priest is back with another bestseller in America — though not in the way that most artists collect big wins. The metal legends only just returned with a brand new full-length studio effort, Invincible Shield, a little over a year ago, and while some may have assumed a long break in between drops was coming, the band had a different plan. Instead of dropping another typical studio project, the group took part in this year's Record Store Day celebration and offered up something longtime fans have been craving: a standalone release of a classic live show that had never been available in this format. The strategy worked. Once Live in Atlanta '82 became available, fans rushed out to grab their copies — and they immediately gave Judas Priest another huge success in the U.S. Live in Atlanta '82 manages to perform well enough to reach a single Billboard ranking this week. The full-length collection arrives at No. 40 on the Top Album Sales chart, barely squeaking onto the roster of bestsellers in the U.S. inside the top 40. That showing is based solely on pure purchases, as the tally doesn't incorporate streams or any other consumption metrics. According to Luminate, Judas Priest's latest offering sold just under 4,400 copies in its first few days of availability. Considering it's a live set from more than 40 years ago, and a reissue at that, that's a solid total. With Live in Atlanta '82, Judas Priest claims its seventeenth placement on the Top Album Sales chart. Out of all those showings, only three have made it into the top 10. The band's highest peak on the ranking remains No. 2. The group first reached that position in 2018 with Firepower and matched just last year with Invincible Shield. This week's Top Album Sales chart is particularly packed, thanks to the annual Record Store Day sales event. 28 projects debut for the first time on the 50-position roster. Among those, Judas Priest lands the twenty-second loftiest debut of the week. The metal pioneers are edged out by several other rock legends, including Rage Against the Machine, Talking Heads, David Bowie, The Doors, and the Grateful Dead, among others. The material featured on Live in Atlanta '82 won't be unfamiliar to the band's diehards. Superfans will recognize the set from its original inclusion in the massive box set 50 Heavy Metal Years of Music, which arrived years ago. Until now, it was only available on CD, buried inside the expansive collection. For Record Store Day, Judas Priest finally issued Live in Atlanta '82 as a standalone release — and gave it a proper vinyl treatment. The double LP was pressed on bright red wax, making it a collector's item for fans who had been hoping for a vinyl version ever since the concert first surfaced.
