er of consecutive innings without a 50-pluser of consecutive innings without a 50-plus | Forum

The Spring Racing Carnival is now behind us for 2016. Jared Cook Jersey . It left racing fans across Australia and the world with many great memories of fantastic racing on the track and many great performances by highly gifted and, in some cases, some very expensive thoroughbreds.Some will go on to even greater heights, such as Winx, whom we are all hoping can stretch her Cox Plate streak to a record-equaling three wins next October. Similarly, Guineas and Derby-winning colts and fillies will be looking to see their stock prices reach new peaks with even richer successes.But for some horses, their racing careers might be coming to an end. What happens then? An event in Melbourne this week -- Equitana -- showcases just how horses, successful or unsuccessful on the track, can continue their competitive prospects in some very positive ways.Beginning on Thursday, Equitana is a four-day competition and exhibition with shows and events for everything equine; from stock horses to brumbies and thoroughbreds in show jumping to barrel racing. If you like horses of all sorts, and can get to Melbourne, then ESPN may now have sorted your weekend for you.A key part of Equitana will be participation of thoroughbreds in the off the track showjumping and showing showcases -- a program spearheaded by Racing Victoria, the governing body of thoroughbred racing in that state.One competitor who will garner a lot interest is Sirmione, formerly trained by 12-time Melbourne Cup-winning trainer and racing legend, the late Bart Cummings.Twice a Group 1 winner, Sirmione won the 2007 Mackinnon Stakes in an upset result at 60-1 and the 2008 Australian Cup, both over 2000 metres at Flemington. A life at stud was never an option for the gelding but a career in other competitive sport was; and he has become comparatively successful.He was a very well put together animal, Peter Mertens, who rode Sirmione to both Group 1 wins, told ESPN. He always had show stamped on him.Ive seen some of them coming through racing and they dont do too well as a winning prospect on the track but theyve been very good at showjumping, added the seven-time Group 1-winning jockey who now enjoys his own retirement from race riding.He used to get around the mounting yard and carry himself really well. He had that look about him. He was always on his toes and had that really good look about him. It is no surprise at all that hes gone on to do well there.Mertens said he rated Sirmione one of the best horses that he had achieved such high levels of success aboard.From his racing days spent at Cummings stable at Flemington, Sirmione is now under the care of Off The Track trainer Fiona McIntyre; he calls Inverleigh home, west of Melbourne.McIntyre is a trainer of show horses who has also now turned her attention to re-training thoroughbreds towards new horizons.Not all ex-racehorses have the temperament to go onto these [different] disciplines, McIntyre said. Sirmione took to showing incredibly well. His transition from being a racehorse to was one of the easiest that I have been involved in.He behaves and doesnt bat an eye lid on the big stages; he goes out and performs every time.Sirmione enjoyed a second placing at last years Adelaide Show.There has some very negative press over time on the treatment of horses in their post-racing days, and historically there were few options for thoroughbreds to continue in a competitive environment. Racing Victorias manager of equine welfare Raelene Harrison says there has been significant progress made in the past few years to bring about positive change.Harrison said that 40 re-trainers had been accredited under Off The Track since the program commenced in 2012, and Racing Victoria hoped to see 20 more in the next 18 months.A challenge for racings authorities has been to pave a way for the growing number of horses retiring and steering them towards other positive opportunities. Many more thoroughbreds are now going into new stables and mixing it with other breeds. Some take to it, others dont.Success on the track isnt necessarily a pre-requisite for success off of it, but Sirmione is leading the charge on the for retired racehorses on the equestrian stage while another blue-riband performer, 2006 Group 1 Australian Derby winner Headturner, is leading a sedate life as a pleasure-riding horse for a 75-year-old lady on the Victoria beachside suburb of Leongatha.The competitive circuit is expanding. These horses have had the opportunity to return to the races in their current pursuits at demonstration events held during racemeetings at Caulfield and Mornington. Spectators have been able to get up close to showjumping events with temporary, but attractive, courses set up on the public lawns.Precedence is another Cummings-trained successful galloper who is destined to perform off the track under McIntyres care. The gelding notched two wins in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Cup (2500m) and ran in four Melbourne Cups, with his best result a sixth placing in 2014. A year after retiring from racing, McIntyre is about to embark on the geldings retraining towards a showjumping career.The expansion and willingness of thoroughbred racing participants to progress their retired chargers to showing or dressage has been a boost for the competitive equine industries, too.To be fair, we only used to get the slow ones who didnt make it into our stables but now there are top-line performers like Sirmione coming through, McIntyre said.Equitana Melbourne is being held at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds until Sunday. The thoroughbreds will take centre stage on Friday and Sunday. Pierre Thomas Jersey . -- When the Florida Panthers fell behind by two goals in the first period to the top team in the NHL, it appeared they were on their way to yet another loss. Justin Hardee Jersey . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. http:///...sey-large-1052e.html . - After leading the Saints to a fourth playoff appearance in five seasons, Drew Brees expressed confidence in the direction of his team and, perhaps more importantly, showed a willingness to listen to contract proposals if the team needs his help getting under the NFLs salary cap. 1 Number of double-centuries by India captains away from home when Virat Kohli reached 200 on the second day in Antigua. The previous highest score by an India captain overseas was 192 by Mohammad Azharuddin against New Zealand in Auckland in 1989-90.2006The last time an Indian batsman made a double-century in Tests outside Asia - Wasim Jaffers 212 at St Johns.566 for 8Indias total was their second highest in West Indies. Their highest is 588 for 8 in Gros Islet in 2006. Indias total is also the highest by any team in North Sound.27Kohlis age, making him the youngest captain to score a double-century in West Indies. Denis Atkinson was the youngest when he made 219 at age of 28 in 1955. Kohli is only the third visiting captain to score a double-hundred in West Indies and first in more than 50 years.197 Kohli previous highest first-class score before the 200 in Antigua. He had scored those runs for Delhi against Pakistans Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited at the Feroz Shah Kotla in 2008-09. His previous highest Test score was 169 at the MCG in 2014.152 The average of Kohlis last five Test centuries - 141, 169, 147, 103 and 200. The highest of his first seven centuries was only 119. (Click here for the list of his 12 Test centuries.)2 Nummber of instances of a team having 50-plus partnerships for each wicket from second to seventh in an innings. Custom Saints Jersey China. The only team to do this before India in Antigua was Sri Lanka against India in Colombo (SSC) in 2008.2Number of players with three Test centuries at No. 6 or lower against West Indies - Kapil Dev and R Ashwin. Ashwins first two centuries had come at No. 8 and this one was his maiden innings at No. 6. He averages 64.66 against West Indies, second only to Sunil Gavaskar among India players who have played five or more innings against them.163 Runs conceded by legspinner Devendra Bishoo, the most by a West Indies bowler against India at home. Their other spinner, part-timer Roston Chase, was the fourth West Indies bowler to concede 100 runs or more on debut without a wicket.22Number of consecutive innings without a 50-plus opening stand for West Indies. Their last such partnership was against South Africa in Port Elizabeth in December 2014. Since 2015 their average for the first wicket is only 17, their highest has been 35 and longest 15.1 overs. Their figures are the worst among all teams. ' ' '