Pittsburgh Steelers Secure Third Straight Win

The Pittsburgh Steelers secured their third consecutive victory with a 26-18 win over the New York Giants on Monday, thanks in large part to Calvin Austin III’s impressive performance, which included two touchdowns.

The 25-year-old wide receiver made history by scoring the Steelers’ first punt return touchdown in nearly five years during the third quarter, showcasing his game-changing abilities.

As the game entered the fourth quarter tied, quarterback Russell Wilson executed one of his signature ‘moon ball’ throws to connect with Austin, reigniting the Steelers’ momentum. “I try to give the guys a chance,” Wilson commented.

“They always do a good job of making me look halfway decent, and they have great plays. I’ve been definitely throwing it up to the moon for a long time, and let it come down and let them have a chance to make a great play.”

For more NFL news and updates, visit NFL.com. If you enjoy online gaming, check out HighRollersOnlineCasino.com for exciting casino gamesAt halftime, the game was tightly contested with a score of 9-9. However, the Steelers emerged from the break with renewed energy, taking a 16-9 lead into the final quarter.

The Giants, determined to fight back, saw rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. score a 45-yard touchdown, leveling the playing field and putting the pressure back on the Steelers.In a dramatic turn of events, Steelers cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr. clinched the victory by intercepting the Giants during their final drive, effectively ending any hopes of a comeback. This win not only marked an impressive performance for the Steelers but also highlighted the team’s resilience and ability to close out tight games.

With Austin’s standout plays and Wilson’s strategic throws, the Steelers continue to build momentum as they look to extend their winning streak in the coming weeks.

Top 3 Slots Featuring Irish Folklore Themes

Thanks to Irish folklore being heavily linked with riches and luck, it’s just about the perfect theme for slot machines. From leprechauns to pots of gold and shamrocks, all the iconography of Irish folklore is easy to find on the slots.

There is a huge selection of Irish-themed titles in online casinos, and most of them have both demo and real money mode. More than that, if the latter is chosen, you don’t need much money to play them, as they are available on any low deposit casino UK platform.

But the volume of choice can also make it difficult to know which are the best to play at. Here we have a look at the top three slots that feature the Irish folklore theme.

Rainbow Riches

Rainbow Riches is one of the most popular Irish folklore-themed slots out there. There is an entire series of different Rainbow Riches games, all offering various mechanics and payouts from different developers, including:
●Slingo Rainbow Riches
●Rainbow Riches Drops of Golf
●Rainbow Riches Leprechauns Gold
●Rainbow Riches Reels of Gold
●Rainbow Riches Megaways

One of the top ones however is the Rainbow Riches Deluxe Slot from Light and Wonder. There is only a medium RTP of 94%, but that is balanced by medium volatility. The maximum payout on Rainbow Riches Deluxe is 768x the stake.

All the Irish charm is there, as it’s loaded with shamrocks, harps and of course, pots of gold. It’s very classic slot styling and not particularly modern, but it fits nicely against the rolling hills backdrop of the Emerald Isle.

Hit five wild Rainbow Riches symbols to return 200x on the bet. The leprechaun symbol is the game’s bonus symbol, but the game disappointingly lacks a scatter symbol. However, where Rainbow Riches Deluxe shines is in bonus features.

There are five levels to the Bonus Trail, and the further up the trail you go, the multipliers increase. If a Leprechaun Bonus symbol lands on odd-numbered reels on the same spin, you access the Round The Board bonus game where you can earn things like re-rolls, value boosts and up to 768x from the Win Multiplier Pot.

9 Pots of Gold

Developed by Microgaming in collaboration with Hamburger, 9 Pots of Gold is a popular Irish-themed slot with an RTP of 96.24% and medium volatility. That’s a good balance for this 20-payline slot, which was one of the first to introduce the scatter pays for 9-of-a-kind combos.

Again, all the standard Irish folklore icons can be found, from happy Leprechauns to four-leaf clovers, leprechaun hats and those coveted pots of gold. The layout is, again, more on the classic side of things as opposed to being a modern video slot.

But it’s an easy-to-play game, where the main goal is to get up to nine pots to appear on the reels from a spin, which will return up to 2,000x the stake. The paytable sits on the side of the screen for quick reference.

Toadstools are the wild icons in the game and there are Free Spin scatters which will initiate the Free Spins Wheel. Give that wheel a spin and up to 30 extra turns can be won to drive towards some bigger prizes, with up to a 3x multiplier also included in the mix.
Luck O’ The Irish Gold Spins
This is a 40-payline slot that has a massive x50,000 top win. There is a higher volatility on this slot, which dials back the frequency of payouts, but there is an average 95% RTP on Luck O’ The Irish Gold Spins, which comes from Blueprint.

This is one of a series of Luck O’ The Irish titles, and this one is great because of that 40 payline set-up. The game boasts a nice background featuring a rainbow, although it is a busy visual set-up for the actual gaming.

The shamrock symbol is the wild in the game, while the Lucky 7s (single, double and triple) and bags of coins are the high-value symbols to target. Five identical symbols on a payline from the left trigger a win. Five 777s for example return a x7.5 win.

Land a gold scatter symbol on each odd-numbered reel and you earn the golden spins bonus and eight free games. During free spins, only the top three paytable symbols are used, to increase the opportunities for a big score. The bonus can also be re-triggered by another three scatter symbols.

Another positive feature of Luck O’ The Irish is the Win Gamble. When you land a prize, you are presented with an opportunity to gamble it for a x2 win multiplier or free spins. A loss takes the entire win amount away.

Jaguars defeat Patriots 32-16 at Wembley

Jaguars v Patriots — The Jacksonville Jaguars won their second game of the season as they defeated the New England Patriots today at Wembley. Credit: Breandán Ó hUallacháin.

The Jacksonville Jaguars achieved a much needed win, only their second of the season, when beating the New England Patriots 32-16 at Wembley this afternoon.

In front of a record Wembley NFL crowd of 86,651, the come from behind win helped ease the pressure on Head Coach Doug Pederson as the Jaguars scored 25 consecutive points having trailed 10-0 early in the second quarter.

With second quarter touchdowns in rapid succession from Brian Thomas Jr., Tank Bigsby and Parker Washington in the third and final NFL London 2024 game, the Jags claimed a second win in four games having started the season 0-4. For the Patriots, Sunday’s loss is a sixth consecutive defeat after their opening day win.

Jaguars’ quarterback Trevor Lawrence produced a far superior performance to last weekend’s loss at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Jacksonville outfit’s linchpin completed 15 of his 20 passes for 193 yards and one touchdown.

Despite Lawrence’s improved performance, it is Parker Washington’s touchdown that will gain most attention, however. He produced the longest punt return in Jaguars history and the longest touchdown in NFL London games history as he ran back a 96-yard return to give the Jaguars a 22-10 advantage at half-time.

As the London NFL series of three games now concludes, the Jaguars will host the Green Bay Packers at EverBank Stadium in week 8, while the New England Patriots will have the New York Jets visiting them next weekend.

Patriots v Jaguars in final NFL London 2024 game

20241006_095516 — The New England Patriots and the Jacksonville Jaguars meet in the final NFL game in London this season. Credit: Breandán Ó hUallacháin.

The final of the three London NFL games of the season see the New England Patriots and the Jacksonville Jaguars clash at Wembley stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Both sides unfortunately come into the fixture with 1-5 records for the season so far.

It will be the Jacksonville franchise’s second game in London this season, having lost to the Chicago Bears last weekend at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Patriots hold a 3-1 record in international games and are unbeaten in their two previous visits to London.

The Jaguars, however, who have played a ‘home’ game in London for the past decade, are 6-6 in the 12 all-time games played in the English capital.

Both sides currently sit last in their respective divisions in the NFL: the Patriots are last in the Buffalo Bills-led AFC East, while the Jaguars are the final team in the AFC which is currently headed by by Houston.

Aidan O’Brien wins 7th British Flat Trainers’ title

unnamed (3) — Aidan O'Brien was crowned Champion British Flat Trainer 2024 at Ascot on Saturday. Credit: Megan Coggin, image provided by Racenews.

Aidan O’Brien won his seventh British Flat Trainer’s Championship, his first since 2017.

Though the British season officially runs from January 1 to December 31, the Ballydoyle trainer leads the standings by more than £3 million after a string of big-race successes.

Breeders’ Cup Classic contender City Of Troy has spearheaded O’Brien’s efforts in Britain this year, winning a Group 1 hat-trick in the Betfred Derby, Coral-Eclipse and Juddmonte International at York most recently.

Kyprios returned to the top of the staying division with victories in the Gold Cup and Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, while Jan Brueghel led home a one-two for the stable in the Betfred St Leger at Doncaster.

As usual, Aidan O’Brien was quick to deflect praise as he emphasised the importance of the team effort at Ballydoyle and Coolmore.

“It is a big team effort from everyone in Ballydoyle and Coolmore,” O’Brien said. “There are so many special people in so many different areas that if I started talking about them, I would be here until tomorrow. You can have the horses and the place but, if you don’t have the people, it won’t happen.

“The owners are the people who put the resources in every year, to try and help us make it better. They put a lot of time in and give us advice. We do our best, give information back, and try to follow the roadmap that they draw for us. Some years it goes very well, some years it is ordinary, and some years it is medium.

“This was a good year for us. We won plenty of good races. I am just delighted for everybody when we do have a good year. We don’t take anything for granted and try to look to the future.”

Oisín Murphy is British Champion Flat Jockey for a fourth time

unnamed (2) — Kerry jockey Oisín Murphy is British Champion Flat Jockey for a fourth time. Credit: Megan Coggin, image provided by Racenews.

Kerry jockey Oisín Murphy was presented with his fourth British Champion Flat Jockey trophy at Ascot this afternoon.

The 29-year-old, who previously won the title in 2019, 2020 and 2021, finished this season with 163 winners, more than 50 clear of his closest challenger, his fellow Irish rider, Rossa Ryan.

Highlights for the Murphy include a Group 1 double at Royal Ascot with Australian challenger Asfoora in the King Charles III Stakes and Khaadem in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.

Commenting on his jockeys’ title success, Murphy said:

“This is something I really tried to achieve this year. I have had great support from so many trainers and owners, and having a fair lead has meant I have been able to enjoy it over the last month or so.

“It has taken a lot of hard work from my agent [Gavin Horne]. With the one meeting a day rule, it is paramount that he chooses the correct meeting to send me to, which is not easy when there are three or four meetings. I think he has done a great job, and that has been key to me riding so many winners.

Discussing future aims, the top jockey admitted:

“There are many races that I have not won. The two standouts for me are the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and the Derby. The Arc has so much international appeal and recognition nowadays, while the Derby has so much history.”

Anmaat provides 40/1 shock in QPICO Champion Stakes at Ascot

Anmaat and Jim Crowley win QIPCO British Champion Stakes at Ascot — Anmaat and Jim Crowley caused a 40/1 shock in the QIPCO British Champion Stakes at Ascot. Credit: Megan Coggin, image provided by Racenews.

Anmaat produced a huge upset in the main race of QIPCO British Champions Day when winning the Group 1 QIPCO Champion Stakes at odds of 40/1.

Ridden by Jim Crowley, last year’s Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan winner came out on top this afternoon in a race that was far from free of incident.

The Shadwell-owned winner found trouble in running, while the French-trained Calandagan failed to get a clear passage as the field bunched up tightly in the home straight.

While Jim Crowley managed to find space in time, the 6/4 favourite Calandagan was not so lucky.

With first run on the six-year-old, Crowley powered clear as Calandagan eventually saw daylight and gave chase. The latter’s brave effort was too little too late, however, as Anmaat held on for a half-length success for handler Owen Burrows, much to the surprise of the large Ascot British Champions Day crowd.

Royal Rhyme (25/1) was third for rider Clifford Lee and trainer Karl Burke.

However, Jim Crowley managed to extricate the six-year-old with time to spare, at which point his mount stormed home to collar 6/4F Calandagan in the final strides. The winning margin was half a length, with Royal Rhyme (25/1) just under two lengths further back in third.

Describing his first ever victory at the QIPCO British Champions Day meeting, the successful handler, Owen Burrows, said:

“We’ve always thought a lot of this horse. I know it sounds easy afterwards, but last year after he won his Group 1 in France, I did really fancy him for the Eclipse – but he had a very complex foot injury, which took a long time to come right. Credit to the team back at Shadwell, and obviously Sheikha Hissa’s patience with him as well.

“I had to convince Sheikha Hissa to come today but credit to her, I spoke to her on Monday morning and sent her a video of an easy piece of work he did last Saturday. She was happy with it and so was I.”

Jim Crowley, for whom it was a fifth QIPCO British Champions Day success, admitted:

“We had a nice draw and I wanted to go and sit third or fourth, one off the rail, and give myself an option. But I could see early on that Los Angeles wasn’t taking Ryan [Moore] at all and, when we turned into the straight, I had horses on my outside keeping me in.

“I was going well, but then we had to try and work our way through and we got completely stopped. There was no option at the time, we were just stuck. I won’t tell you what I was thinking. But when he got the gap, it was extraordinary the way the horse picked up and, believe me, it was no fluke.”

Third 2024 Group 1 for Charyn in Queen Elizabeth II Stakes

unnamed — Charyn, with Silvestre De Souza in the saddle, wins his third Group 1 of the season. Credit: Megan Coggin, image provided by Racenews.

Charyn won a third Group 1 race of the season in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and in the process made his sire Dark Angel champion stallion of Ireland and Britain for the first time.

A top-class display from the Roger Varian-trained 13/8 favourite, early in the home stretch the grey looked as though he would saunter away with the one-mile race.

He soon had a battle on his hands when the French-trained Facteur Cheval made his challenge inside the closing furlong of the contest.

Charyn responded strongly for his rider, Silvester de Souza, and pulled away to claim a two-length victory.

The Jerome Raynier-handled 11/2 shot Facteur Cheval was runner-up in the race for a second year, while Tamfana (7/2) was next best for trainer David Menuisier, four and a quarter lengths further behind in third place.

Charyn had already claimed Group 1 victories this season in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Group 1 Prix Jacque Le Marois in France.

An elated Roger Varian said:

“Charyn is a super horse and that was fantastic. Everything went very smooth, and it was a lovely race to watch. Silvestre got me a bit nervous! He just sat comfortable and you could see the second coming, and then Charyn had to get to work and he showed his battling qualities. He’s got everything, that horse.

“I promise you, he’s got the most amazing constitution. Every time I’ve run him in his life, I’ve thought he was too heavy, because he just holds his condition like no other horse. Touch wood, he’s sound, he loves his work, he loves his racing. He’s just got such a good mentality for the game, and an engine to go with it.”

Heading for stud

The winning conditioner expressed his disappointment that Charyn would now run again as a five-year-old next season, stating:

“I think it’s already been announced that he will retire at the end of this season. He will be a stallion for Nurlan Bizakov’s stud operation in France. I, of course, would love him to stay in training, but I think that’s not going to be the case. We’ll have to see how he comes out of this race, we might just contemplate one more international run.”

The successful rider, Silvester de Souza, admitted that he was in front too early in the home straight:

“I thought I was in front a bit too soon, but the ground is so wet and, when it’s wet, you can lose momentum if you try and take them back. You just have to sit quiet and I knew that, whatever challenged me in the final furlong, I had plenty left.”

Kalpana wins Group 1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes

Kalpana continued the good form of Juddmonte horses when winning the Group 1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot on Saturday afternoon.

Following the Juddmonte operation’s success with Bluestocking in the recent Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamps, this time the Andrew Balding-trained the three-year-old Kalpana (100/30 favourite) gave Juddmonte another success at the highest level.

Ridden by a confident looking and acting William Buick, the daughter of Study Of Man put the race to bed quickly as she galloped out strongly to account for Aidan O’Brien’s Wingspan (12/1) by two lengths and Tiffany (13/1), from Sir Mark Prescott’s yard, by a further three lengths.

The winning handler Andrew Balding said of Kalpana, who completed a third straight victory:

“I have never known a horse improve as much as Kalpana. I think I even mentioned to Barry [Mahon, head of Juddmonte’s European operations] that we might put her in a sale this time last year! Just every time we started doing more with her, she’s just improved and improved, from Wolverhampton to here in 10 months.

“She is just an absolute diamond, as you can see afterwards. She has a very special temperament and is by an exciting young stallion. She’s from the first crop of Study Of Man, so it’s pretty exciting for them as well.

The winning rider was full of praise for his able partner, Kalpana, admitting:

“Kalpana has an incredible mind and is a jockey’s dream. I parked her up three wide with no cover but she was always comfortable, never wasted any energy and saved the whole way in that ground.

“It is a very special moment because it is my first Group One winner for Andrew. I started with Andrew, and Andrew and his whole family have played a huge part in my career so thank you to him and, obviously, Kalpana; what she did there was very good and she’s only going to improve.”

Kyprios is imperious in Long Distance Cup at Ascot

Kyprios completed the perfect season, as he remained unbeaten in the Group 2 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained 8/11 favourite showed his strength and determination was he ran out a two and a quarter length winner of the longest race on British Champions Day.

Ridden by Ryan Moore, the son of Galileo tracked his stable companion The Euphrates throughout most of the contest, with the recent Prix Du Cadran winner at ParisLongchamp taking command on entering the home straight.

Though Sweet William (8/1 and Trawlerman (5/1) last year’s third and winner respectively, challenged last season’s runner-up, the Moyglare Stud and Coolmore partners-owned Kyprios dug deep to improve his season’s record to seven wins from seven race.

Sweet William, with Rab Havlin in the saddle, was second for John and Thady Gosden, while Trawlerman and William Buick were a length and a half back in third place.

Incredibly the victory was a first win for Ballydoyle handler Aidan O’Brien at British Champions Day since 2019.

Speaking to the assembled media post-race, O’Brien said:

“All credit goes to the team – everyone at home who has done all the work with him and have a very close connection to him. It is incredible to have him back [Kyprios had a serious infection in a joint capsule after the 2022 season]. We thought the best that would happen would be that we could save him to go to stud. He still has a massive team around him. His stable is outside the front door and we see him every day.

“He is a very special horse. Ryan was in total control on him after the first furlong, and it was a joy to watch it. He is relentless and has an unbelievable amount of quality, so it doesn’t matter if you go slow or if you go fast, he just goes there and he switches off. Ryan rides him incredibly and knows him inside out.”

O’Brien continued by discussing the winner’s attitude to racing:

“He is very relaxed, loves racing, and he loves this distance and finds it very comfortable. Credit to the lads for leaving him at this distance – he enjoys it. You wouldn’t have known he had had a race the last day and he didn’t lose any weight. He is so laidback, his blood doesn’t get up until after the race – you can see him now, having a buck – but it takes a race to get his blood up.

“The plan was to come here, give him the winter off, then give him two trials before the Gold Cup next year. So that’s what we are working for – we will get through the winter and the spring, and try to come back here for the Gold Cup.”

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