Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh stepped out three of his stable stars at the Avondale trials on Tuesday and he is excited for the spring ahead with the trio.

Manawatū is well known for hosting enduring sporting events. The annual Gravel and Tar Classic for professional male cyclists introduced two new events this year - Gravel and Tar La Femme (for professional women cyclists) and the Manawatu Slicks and Stones 100.

Melody Belle will attempt to defend her title in the Gr.2 U S Navy Flag Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa on Saturday.

New Zealand’s national tree climber, Husqvarna Brand Ambassador and H-team member Scott Forrest, has been crowned the International Tree Climbing Champion (ITCC) for the fourth time.

Organisers of the Euro T20 Slam, the world’s first multinational T20 franchise tournament, have today confirmed the inaugural staging of the event will be postponed until 2020.

Prashant Mishra, speaking on behalf of the Board of the Euro T20 Slam, said:

The All Blacks team has been named to play Australia in the Bledisloe Cup Investec Challenge Test at Eden Park, Auckland, on Saturday 17 August. (Kick-off: 7.35PM NZT).

The matchday 23 is as follows (with Test caps in brackets):

1. Joe Moody (39)

2. Dane Coles (63)

If improvement is what Head Coach Paul Henare was after, his Tall Blacks delivered and then some in a comprehensive 104-87 defeat of Japan in Kawasaki tonight, turning around the loss of 48 hours earlier in emphatic fashion.

Foxton trainer Chrissy Bambry will be loading up the float bound for Otaki this weekend.

Five breeding entities are in contention for the 2019 New Zealand Breeder of the Year award.

The winner will be announced at the New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards dinner, at the Ellerslie racecourse, on Sunday, September 8.

The track conditions at Te Rapa on Saturday are the only concern Cambridge trainer Tony Pike holds for Endless Drama heading into his first assignment of the season, the Gr.2 U S Navy Flag Foxbridge Plate (1200m).