The eight-year-old son of Laverock gave jockey Keith Donoghue and trainer Gavin Cromwell a famous win in the 135th edition of the race.

Owned by the Furze Bush Syndicate, the winner of the Cross County Chase at Cheltenham, won by a length and three-quarters form High In The Sky and rider Jan Faltejsek.

Čáryjape was third home with Adam Čmiel in the saddle, while Cuwall and Jakub Kocman were fourth in the 15-horse contest.

STUMPTOWN creates Irish Racing history becoming the first Irish-trained horse to win the Velka Pardubice for @gavincromwell1 @donoghue_keith

Relive the race pic.twitter.com/2KPj0akiyH

— Tattersalls Ireland (@Tattersalls_ie) October 12, 2025

“He was great”

“I am thrilled. It was a tough race, but the horse managed it. He was great. We stayed at the back, which was not the plan, but we managed it,” winning rider Keith Donoghue told Czech TV Sport.

The Patrick Aspell-bred Stumptown had been pulled up on his most recent run, in the Aintree Grand National.

The Velká Pardubická, one of Europe’s most difficult races, is traditionally held every second Sunday of October.

The race, first run in 1874, measures 6,900 metres, has 31 obstacles, and is open to six-year-old and older horses.

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There have been 24 games to feature a game-winning score in the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime in the opening five weeks of the regular season.

Seven teams – Carolina, Jacksonville, Minnesota, New England, San Francisco, Tampa Bay and Tennessee – accomplished the feat last week.

During week 5, four teams – Tennessee (18 points), Carolina (17), Denver (14) and Jacksonville (14) – completed comebacks of at least 14 points to win.

Denver Broncos (3-2) at New York Jets (0-5)

The second of three straight weeks with a London game features the Denver Broncos and New York Jets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

Denver leads the league with 21 sacks this season and ranks second in scoring defence, allowing 16.8 points per game. Linebacker Nik Bonitto leads the NFL with seven sacks and can become the first player since 2013 to record at least 1.5 sacks in four consecutive games.

The Jets, who played Minnesota last season at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, will become the seventh team to play in London in consecutive seasons, joining Detroit (2014-15), Jacksonville (2013-19, 2021-25), the Los Angeles Rams (2016-17), Miami (2014-15), Minnesota (2024-25) and the Raiders (2018-19).

Detroit Lions (4-1) at Kansas City Chiefs (2-3)

The two clubs will be meeting for the first time since Detroit’s 21-20 win over the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs in the league’s 2023 Kick-off Game.

Detroit leads the NFL in scoring offence and have scored at least 34 points in each of their past four games. A win today can see them become the fifth team in the Super Bowl era to record at least 34 points in five games within a single season.

Running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery each scored a touchdown last week. It marked the 14th game in which they each have scored a touchdown.

Including the postseason, Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes has 299 touchdown passes in 138 career games. With a touchdown pass on Sunday night, he will surpass Aaron Rodgers (147 games) as the fastest player to 300 career touchdown passes, including the postseason, in NFL history.

Seattle Seahawks (3-2) at Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1) 

Two of the top intercepting defences from the first five weeks of the season will be in action, as Jacksonville leads the league with 10 interceptions and Seattle ranks tied for second with seven.

Jacksonville linebacker Devin Lloyd leads the NFL with four interceptions this season. Last week, he had a 99-yard interception-return for a touchdown against Kansas City, marking the longest regular-season interception-return touchdown by a linebacker in NFL history.

Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald is one of five head coaches all time to win nine of his first 10 road games.

San Francisco 49ers (4-1) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-1)

The 49ers and Buccaneers will meet in Tampa for a fourth straight season.

Eddie Pineiro converted a 41-yard field goal in overtime to lift San Francisco over the Rams, 26-23, while Chase McLaughlin connected on a 39-yard field goal as time expired in regulation to help Tampa Bay win in Seattle, 38-35.

The Buccaneers are looking to begin a season 5-1 or better for the third time in 20 years (2021, 2005), while the 49ers can reach the mark for the third time under head coach Kyle Shanahan (2023, 2019).

In the win over Seattle, quarterback Baker Mayfield became the first player in NFL history to pass for at least 375 yards (379) in a game, with four-or-fewer incompletions (four).

San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey is the only player with at least 100 scrimmage yards in five games this season. He can become the first running back with least 100 scrimmage yards in each of his team’s first six games of a season since Saquon Barkley in 2018.

Buffalo Bills (4-1) at Atlanta Falcons (2-2) 

The Bills seek to win five of their first six games of a season for the third time under head coach Sean McDermott (2022, 2019), while the Falcons have won seven of their past eight games.

Atlanta running back Bijan Robinson leads the NFL with 146 scrimmage yards per game and Buffalo running back James Cook ranks four among running backs with 107.8 scrimmage yards per game.

Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen is the fifth player in NFL history with a completion percentage of 70-or-higher and multiple touchdown passes in four of his team’s first five games of a season.

Chicago Bears (2-2) at Washington Commanders (3-2) 

Quarterbacks Caleb Williams, the Bears’ No. 1 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, and Jayden Daniels, the Commanders’ No. 2 pick in 2024, are set to meet for the second consecutive season.

Last season, in Week 8, Daniels threw a 52-yard game-winning touchdown to wide receiver Noah Brown as time expired in the fourth quarter to give Washington an 18-15 victory.

Daniels has 4,232 passing yards and 1,015 rushing yards in 20 career games and is the first player in NFL history with at least 4,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in his first 20 career games.

Chicago wide receiver Rome Odunze was the only player in the NFL with a touchdown reception in each of the first four weeks of the season and can become the first player since Mike Evans in 2020 to record a touchdown reception in each of his team’s first five games of a season.

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Trained at Ballydoyle by Aidan O’Brien for the Coolmore partners, the son of Camelot was a length and a half winner under Christophe Soumillon.

Del Maro (14/1), representing Godolphin was third, another length back, under Billy Loughnane.

Winning trainer Aidan O’Brien said of the juvenile son of Group 1-winning mare Sultanina:

“Christophe seemed very happy with him. He is a lovely big horse and still a big baby at home. He does everything very easy.

“He is a lovely, big straightforward horse and is going to improve a lot over the winter. It was a lovely win last time at Dundalk when Wayne (Lordan) rode him.

“I think at the moment he looks like a Derby trial horse for next year. Endorsement ran a lovely race too, it was very solid.”

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A last start winner of the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes over seven furlongs at The Curragh, the Ballydoyle filly was stepping up to the mile first time at Newmarket.

Partnered by Christophe Soumillon, the two-year-old Starspanglebanner filly was settled towards the rear of the 10-strong field. She began to make significant headway quarter of a mile from home. Taking the leading approaching the final furlong, Precise quickened right away for a very comfortable three and a quarter length success over 40/1 chance Venetian Lace.

Seventh win in Fillies’ Mile

Aidan O’Brien, who previously won the race with Sunspangled (1998), Listen (2007), Together Forever (2014), Minding (2015), Rhododendron (2016) and Ylang Ylang (2023), said of his seventh winner Precise:

“She is incredible really. There are so many people involved with her and every week she has got better.

“We ran her over six the first day and Wayne (Lordan) said she just drifted out in front and other than that she would have won. She would be unbeaten otherwise and when you see a filly like her do that over six on a sharp track like Fairyhouse you know they are very special.

“On her pedigree she is out of a very good Galileo mare and will stay. I think she is a Classic filly. We saw today she got the mile on her ear and Christophe was super confident on her. She cantered at all stages through the race and Christophe said if he knew her better he would have waited longer but she got there.

Bred by Aidan O’Brien’s Whisperview Trading, Precise is the first stakes-winner among three winners from placed Galileo mare Way to My Heart, a sister to stakes-winner Kingfisher from stakes-winner Mystical Lady.

The master of Ballydoyle is closing in on his own world record of 28 Group/Grade One winners in a calendar year, which he set in 2017.

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Diamond Necklace, an unbeaten juvenile daughter of St Mark’s Basilica, won the Group 1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac under Belgian jockey Christophe Soumillon.

The 11/10 favourite, owned by the Coolmore partners, was a one-length winner over Green Spirit (9/4), with Narissa (10/1), a length and a quarter further back in third.

Puerto Rico brings up Group 1 double

Puerto Rico (3/1) gave handler Aidan O’Brien a 10th success in the Group 1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, a Breeders’ Cup “Win And You’re In” for the Juvenile Turf.

This two-year-old son of the recently deceased Wootton Bassett had two and a half lengths in hand on Nighttime (5/1) at the winning post, with a further length and a quarter back to the race favourite Rayif (7/4 favourite) in third.

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The Vikings, who appeared in the first regular-season game in Ireland against the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday, are the first team to play consecutive international games in different cities.

In Week 6, the Denver Broncos and New York Jets meet at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and in Week 7, the Los Angeles Rams take on the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium.

Two undefeated teams remain in the NFL: the Philadelphia Eagles are 4-0 for the third time in the past four seasons while the Buffalo Bills improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2020.

Denver (2-2) at Philadelphia (4-0)

The Eagles can become the first team to begin 5-0 three times in a four-year span since the Indianapolis Colts (2006-07, 2009) while head coach Nick Sirianni can become the second coach ever to begin 5-0 in three of his first five seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Paul Brown.

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is the first quarterback in NFL history with five touchdown passes, four rushing touchdowns and no interceptions in his team’s first four games of a season.

Denver quarterback Bo Nix totalled three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) in the team’s Week 4 win over Cincinnati. Since the beginning of the 2024 season, Nix is one of three quarterbacks, along with Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, with at least 35 touchdown passes (36) and five rushing touchdowns (five).

New England (2-2) at Buffalo (4-0)

The Bills have started a season with five straight wins in three previous seasons: 1964, 1980 and 1991.

Buffalo, from Week 11 of the 2023 season through Week 4 of the 2025 season, are the fourth team ever to win 14 consecutive home regular-season games and score at least 24 points in each game.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen has 45 career regular-season games with both a touchdown pass and a rushing touchdown, tied with Cam Newton for the most such games in NFL history.

New England quarterback Drake Maye, from Weeks 2-4, became the first player ever under the age of 24 with at least two touchdown passes and a completion percentage of 75-or-higher in three consecutive games, minimum 15 pass attempts in each game.

Tampa Bay (3-1) at Seattle (3-1)

Both the Buccaneers and Seahawks are celebrating their 50th anniversary seasons after joining the NFL in 1976 and each club will be wearing throwback uniforms for this Sunday’s matchup.

Since joining Tampa Bay in 2023, quarterback Baker Mayfield leads the NFL with 77 touchdown passes and ranks second with 9,448 passing yards.

Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka leads all rookies with 282 receiving yards and four touchdown receptions this season and has recorded a touchdown catch in three of his first four games.

Seattle leads the NFC in scoring defence (16.8 points per game allowed) and have recorded seven interceptions this season, tied for the second-most in the NFL.

The Kansas City Chiefs (2-2) at Jacksonville Jaguars (3-1) [Monday night]

Jacksonville is the fifth team since 2002 with at least three takeaways in each of its first four games of a season.

Last week, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had four touchdown passes and reached 250 touchdown passes in his 116th career game, surpassing Aaron Rodgers (121 games) for the fastest player in NFL history to reach 250 career touchdown passes. Mahomes has 43 career games with at least three touchdowns and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (42 games) for the second-most by a player in his first nine seasons in NFL history, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino (46 games).

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Two touchdowns from the Steelers’ running back Kenneth Gainwell, and another from wide receiver DK Metcalf, helped their side to a victory to move their current season record to 3-1.

Despite late touchdowns for the Vikings’ Scott and Nailor, the Pittsburgh side held on for a win.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, the designated ‘home’ team for the opening game in Week 4 of the 2025 regular season, came into the game on the back of two wins and a loss, the same record as today’s rivals, the Minnesota Vikings.

First Quarter

When Jordan Mason’s fumble recovered by Steelers’ Jalen Ramsey, the latter raced 62 yards, for what he thought was his side’s first score of the fixture. The Replay Official reviewed the ball was inbounds, and the play was reversed.

Minutes later, Will Reichard gave the Vikings a 3-0 advantage with 6:24 to play in the opening quarter. His side opted to kick for a field goal from 41 yards, when quarterback Carson Wentz was sacked on the previous down.

The Pittsburgh outfit claimed their first score of this regular season fixture when Kenneth Gainwell ran in from one yard. With the extra point added, the ‘home’ side went into a 7-3 lead with 55 seconds on the clock at the end of the opening quarter.

Kenneth Gainwell scores the first NFL touchdown in Dublin

MINvsPIT on @nflnetwork
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/oCgtPkBItV

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

Meltcalf receives 80-yard Rodgers pass

The Steelers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers found DK Metcalf with an 80-yard pass down the Croke Park touchline to claim his side’s second touchdown of the afternoon. With Chris Boswell successful with his second kick at the posts, the Steelers stretched their lead to 14-3 with 12:16 to play to the half.

RODGERS TO METCALF. 80 YARD TOUCHDOWN.

MINvsPIT on @nflnetwork
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/Y4jelTbNJ1

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

Though it looked as though that score line would remain until the half-way period of the game, the Vikings’ Will Reichard narrowed his side’s deficit to 6-16 in the dying second of the second quarter. The Steelers’ Jalem Ramsey, who incurred a 5-yard penalty, made the task easier for the Vikings’ kicker.

As the sides left the field after the second quarter, the Pittsburgh Steelers held a 14-6 advantage over the Minnesota Vikings.

Second Touchdown for Gainwell

With 2:23 to play in the third quarter, Kenneth Gainwell ran in for his second six-pointer of the game. The score was the end result of an earlier T.J. Watt interception when he gained possession for his side.

The running back Gainwell had failed narrowly to made the end zone on his side’s previous down. From four yards out this time there wasn’t any stopping him as he achieved his brace of touchdowns. Boswell was accurate for the third time in the game as he kicked the extra point, pushing his side into a 21-6 lead.

Kenneth Gainwell gets his second TD of the day

MINvsPIT on @nflnetwork
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/mWE31vvnsE

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

Boswell also claimed the next score of the game. With 11:18 remaining in the game as the kicker added a field goal from 33 yards out – the successful end of a 4:17 drive.

Scott TD reduces the deficit 

A Carson Wentz pass to the deep right found Zavier Scott for a 16-yard touchdown just as the game seemed to be slipping away from the Vikings.

.@cj_wentz steps up in the pocket and throws a touchdown in the back of the end zone.

10-point game in Dublin.

MINvsPIT on @nflnetwork
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/WvXpVzJ9jS

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

A two-point conversion was successfully completed from Wentz to Jalen Nailor, leaving 10 points between the sides entering the last eight minutes.

With Minnesota getting the next score, the result of the game was still uncertain as the clock approached two minutes.

A two-yard touchdown pass from Vikings’ quarterback Wentz to Nailor was followed by a successful kick by Reichardt leaving only a field goal between the teams; Steelers 24 Vikings 21.

Wentz finds Nailor for the touchdown.

One score game in Dublin.

MINvsPIT on @nflnetwork
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/tBTivJZaUa

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

There was late drama when the Steelers thought they had intercepted the Vikings’ ball. A review deemed it an incomplete pass, allowing Minnesota remain possession with less than one minute to play.

Despite their best efforts, the Vikings’ failed to reach the red zone, as the Pittsburgh Steelers held on for a 24-21 victory.

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The game, which begins at 2.30pm, is the first of the European NFL games this season, with clashes to follow in London, Berlin and Madrid in the coming weeks.

Both sides come to Dublin with two wins and a loss in their three games so far this season.

Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steels opened their season with a narrow 34-32 victory against the Jets. They lost their game against the Seattle Seahawks on a score line of 31-17. Last weekend, they got back on the winning trail with success against the Patriots.

In Week 3, Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgers surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer Brett Favre (508 touchdown passes) for the fourth-most regular-season touchdown passes in NFL history. He also passed Philip Rivers (63,440 passing yards) for the sixth-most regular-season passing yards all-time.

Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings opened their campaign with a three-point win over the Chicago Bears, before losing to the Atlanta Falcons in week two.

They were easy 48-10 winners over the Bengals in their most recent game, and come into this afternoon’s clash in good form.

Last week, Minnesota cornerback Isaiah Rodgers recorded two forced fumbles, an 87-yard interception return for a touchdown and a 66-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the Vikings’ 48-10 win over Cincinnati. He became the first player in NFL history with an interception return touchdown of 85-or-more yards and a fumble return touchdown of 65-or-more yards in the same game.

Live on Virgin Media

Croke Park previously hosted an American Football game when the Steelers and the Chicago Bears played a pre-season game at GAA HQ in 1997. The Pittsburgh outfit won 30-17 on that occasion.

The game is live on Virgin Media 1 television this afternoon. The channel will also broadcast the other European NFL games this season.

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New Orleans (0-3) at Buffalo (3-0)

Buffalo can begin 4-0 for the fifth time since 1990 and the first since 2020. The Bills, since Week 11 of the 2023 season, have won 13 consecutive regular season home games and have scored at least 24 points in each game.

Last week, Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen recorded his 86th career win (including the postseason) since entering the NFL in 2018 and surpassed Joe Flacco (85 wins) for the fifth most wins by a quarterback in his first eight seasons, including the playoffs, in NFL history.

L.A. Chargers (3-0) at N.Y. Giants (0-3)

The Chargers can win each of their first four games of a season for the sixth time in franchise history and the first since 2002. Los Angeles, with divisional wins over Kansas City (Week 1), Las Vegas (Week 2) and Denver (Week 3), became the third team since realignment in 2002 to defeat division opponents in each of their first three games of a season, joining the 2006 Chicago Bears and 2003 Minnesota Vikings.

Philadelphia (3-0) at Tampa Bay (3-0)

Philadelphia can start 4-0 for the third time in the past four seasons (2022-23) while Tampa Bay can begin 4-0 for the fourth time in franchise history and the first since 2005. Since 2015, the reigning Super Bowl champion has begun the following season with four consecutive wins five times.

Indianapolis (3-0) at L.A Rams (2-1)

Indianapolis can begin 4-0 for the first time since 2009. In five of the past 10 seasons (2015-24), a team has begun 4-0 the season after missing the playoffs.  The Colts have punted once this season, the fewest punts by a team in its first three games of a season since at least 1940. Indianapolis running back Jonathan Taylor leads the league with 338 rushing yards and 431 scrimmage yards entering Week 4.

Jacksonville (2-1) at San Francisco (3-0)

San Francisco can start 4-0 for the third time (2019 and 2023) since head coach Kyle Shanahan was hired in 2017. San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey recorded his 12th career game with 10 receptions last week, most by a running back in NFL history.

McCaffrey has 33 career games with at least 50 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards, the second-most by a running back all-time, including in each of the first three weeks this season.

Jacksonville leads the NFL with seven interceptions and nine takeaways through the first three weeks, including multiple interceptions in each game. Since 2000, only five previous teams have recorded two-or-more interceptions in each of their first four games of a season: 2021 Dallas Cowboys (first five games), 2018 Miami Dolphins (first four), 2010 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (first four), 2007 Oakland Raiders (first four) and 2003 Kansas City Chiefs (first four).

Baltimore Ravens (1-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (1-2)

These sides meet for the seventh time in the past eight seasons, including playoffs.

Five of the previous six meetings have all been decided by seven-or-fewer points. Since 2018, when both Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes took over as their teams’ starting quarterback, Kansas City and Baltimore rank first and second in the NFL in points per game and total yards of offense per game, respectively.

Green Bay Packers (2-1) at Dallas Cowboys (1-2)

Green Bay defensive lineman Micah Parsons is set to play his first game in Dallas being acquired by the Packers from the Cowboys in August. During his four seasons with Dallas (2021-24), Parsons ranked fifth in the NFL in sacks (52.5) and tackles for loss (64) and became the second player since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, to record at least 12 sacks in each of his first four career seasons, along with Pro Football Hall of Famer Reggie White.

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Trained at Ballydoyle by Aidan O’Brien, the Coolmore partners-owned son of the recently deceased Wootton Bassett, was a length and a quarter winner over August George (28/1).

The cross-channel prepared runner-up, a gelded son of Night Of Thunder, is trained by Ivan Furtado and ridden by Steven Donohoe.

The second O’Brien-handled runner in the €1,000,000 contest over seven furlongs, Composing (5/6), the race favourite, was a half length further behind in third, in the hands of Ronan Whelan.

Hawk Mountain (5/4 favourite) had earlier won the Group 2 Qatar Racing & Equestrian Beresford Stakes for O’Brien, the Coolmore partners, and Ronan Whelan.

The two-year-old colt, a son of Wootton Bassett, had three and a quarter lengths in hand on Geryon (9/4) in the one-mile race.

The latter, trained by Ger Lyons for Newtown Anner Stud, was piloted by Colin Keane, while Al Haarith (5/1) was a head further back for Joseph O’Brien and stable jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle.

A 22nd win in the Beresford for Aidan O’Brien courtesy of Hawk Mountain @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/vQkXBIGbrK

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 27, 2025

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