earance after the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) picked

It was only a handful of few years ago that Ciaron Maher, the son of a dairy farmer in Victorias Western Districts, was a young trainer in Warrnambool with aspirations of an incidental life and love of thoroughbred horses and making it on the big stages of Australian racing.Since making the decision to give it a go just over a decade ago, Maher has trained winners of trophies at racings highest level on six occasions. This Saturday at Caulfield, hell be hoping Bon Aurum can be lucky 7 in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes over 1400 metres.When the bell rang to end his school day, rather than putting his head straight back in the books Maher went to work with local trainer Shayne Fisher. He didnt just help with looking after the small stable, but also learned his initial craft towards becoming a trainer, and a jockey.There were other kids from the Kermond family locally around my age who were going to the pony clubs, hunting clubs, showjumping and eventing. I was helping Shayne breaking horses in, and whenever they were going anywhere -- I was like a part of the family -- I got to experience different facets from an equine sports perspective, Maher told ESPN of his early days.Some people grew up heavily entrenched in racing alone, but I got to experience a good variety. I wasnt really dictated to by anybody to go into racing, thats just the way it happened and Ive been able to draw on all of those parts which has really helped me. Later apprenticed to the late Peter Hayes in Adelaide and in Melbourne, Maher rode with success over the jumps representing Australia in the annual jockeys challenge series against Ireland and also rode in England, Ireland and Dubai.His career as a jockey was stalled by his rising height, in 2005 his career as a racehorse trainer set sail. By 2010 he also set up a second training base at Caulfield, where he now works primarily from the stable building previously occupied by Peter Moody, together with facilities at Pakenham, east of Melbourne, and at Randwick in Sydney.The red-brick Booran Road stables at Caulfield have seen some champions grow and train towards great successes, not least Black Caviar during her 25-win blitz. Add to that, legendary Caulfield trainer Angus Armanasco occupied the site for decades until the late 1990s with top performers like Zedative and Tolerance.It was unbelievable. Really, to think that for us as a team that we could go to Caulfield five years ago and have three boxes, and then to be walking into Armanascos and Moodys old stables with an 80-box barn; it was surreal how it came around but the opportunity arose at the right time. Just two years into his fledgling training career, Maher shot to into the racing headlines when Tears I Cry won the Group 1 Emirates Stakes on the final day of the 2007 Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington at the extraordinary odds of 66-1.I said to dad after I got my [trainers] licence, if Im no good at it after two years Ill come back and milk cows, Maher told the Herald Sun in 2014.Hell not be milking cows any time soon.He has since added two more Group 1 wins in Queensland and two more at Flemington, both in the Crown Oaks, with Set Square (2014) and Jameka (2015). Pleasingly, both horses continue to show great potential in adding to Mahers trophy cabinet this spring.He has also trained won the Grand Annual Steeplechase and the Grand National Steeplechase three times apiece, and his versatility paints like an old-time story as much as one of a modern trainer.And it is literally a small stones throw from his Caulfield boxes that four-year-old Bon Aurum will jump from barrier five in the $500,000 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, the only 1400 metre Group 1 handicap of the Melbourne Spring Carnival. Bon Aurums only win to-date at Caulfield came in the Group 3 Guineas Prelude over the same 1400 metres trip 12 months ago to the day of his Rupert Clarke task. He returns to Caulfield after an impressive second-up victory at Flemington, over 1400 metres on Sep. 10, that surprised even his trainer.Im really happy with where hes at, hes just come up so well, 36-year-old Maher said.Hes been down at Warrnambool and did most of his work there before going to Flemington. He was a little bit wooly [in his coat] at his first-up start at Caufield and the way he hit the line really well second time around surprised me a little bit.Hes continued on that improving path; his coat still has a way to go but I think he should be pretty spot on for Saturday. With 52kg on his back, the handicap conditions of the race also offer a positive toward Bon Aurums chances.It is tough going to Group 1 level, but the handicap conditions appeal to him and hes a four-year-old stallion so if he can win or place it will certainly help his value.After failing to follow-up with a win in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas last October, the colt was found to have floating bone chips in one knee. The ensuing surgery seems to have healed well and delivered the desired results, albeit a little later than first hoped.It is becoming a very common surgical procedure and [the vets] are getting very good at it. He had it done at the right time. We had to cut it very fine with the timing and he didnt come up as well as we had hoped [in the autumn] but I think the extended break this time has really been the making of him.If injuries can be one source of frustration, other exterior distractions can weigh heavily on a trainers mind -- as seen in recent legal cases over banned substances, etc - and Racing Victoria stewards are investigating the circumstances of the ownership of Mahers 2016 Group 1 Queen of the Turf Stakes winner Azkadellia. How much of an effect does this have on the day-to-day running of a growing training operation? Compartmentalising the daily mindset seems to allow Maher to keep the rest of the business ticking over positively.The quicker these things are sorted out the better but when Im at work Im focused and it is work as usual. Later in the day you might have to go and deal with that sort of stuff, which probably takes away from other things that you might be doing.With plenty of more positive things to look forward to over the next couple of months, both Set Square and Jameka are right in the mix to add to their Group 1 CVs.Set Square put in another eyecatching performance at Caulfield last Saturday in the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes, which was won by Jameka in a very impressive staying display. Having not won since her Oaks victory nearly two years ago, surely another win couldnt be too far away for Set Square?I dont think so. If she can just draw a [good] barrier, I think it will help her a lot. She always has to make long, wide runs, Maher told ESPN.Last Saturday over the 2000 metres she just traveled a little bit keenly, and with having no cover in the race it might have taken a bit away from her in the finish.She had the autumn off and a good break, so were very happy with the way shes going, and she has furnished into a five-year-old mare nicely after being quite light and narrow as a three-year-old and a bit uptight as a four-year-old.Its really good signs going into these longer and bigger races because you know you still have plenty to work with in the lead-up. After her win in the Naturalism, Jameka received a 0.5kg penalty for the BMW Caulfield Cup on Oct. 15.Im happy with the penalty, Maher told ESPN. She was very dominant so I suppose she had to get something. Shes ticking over very nicely and will head not to the Turnbull Stakes [2000m, Oct. 2], which is a no-penalty race, and then onto Caufield Cup.I think she is still on the up and Im just rapt with her. Shes really made the transition from a filly to a mare.The smart three-year-old Throssell is also looking every bit a promising AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) candidate. Throssell is an early scratching in Saturdays Caulfield Guineas Prelude but that isnt necessarily for negative reasons.Ive always thought that he was a Derby horse - hes quite relaxed in the run.He might be able to win a [Caulfield] Guineas but I thought hes got a better chance to win maybe a Caulfield Classic (2000m, 8 October) and a Derby. Hes got a great set of lungs and tends to relax very well.Hes learning all the time and his work on Tuesday was quite sharp, and with Astern coming out of the Guineas Prelude we thought we might have a go. After drawing barrier 18, that was what changed our minds.Throssells next start is likely to be the Listed UCI Stakes (1800m) at Flemington on Oct. 2.UBET rate Bon Aurum a $6.50 chance in the Rupert Clarke Stakes, while Jameka is the Caulfield Cup second-favourite at $6.50 with Set Square rated a $26 chance.Custom Mariners Jerseys . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. Cheap Custom Mariners Jersey . -- If Henry Burris has his way, he will be the starting quarterback to lead the Hamilton Tiger-Cats back to the Grey Cup next year. http://www.custommarinersjersey.com/ . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. From Pierre LeBrun While Anaheim GM Bob Murray said earlier this season he was not going to trade Jonas Hiller despite the fact hes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, some sources have told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun that Murray might be willing to move another goalie. Wholesale Custom Mariners Shirts .Gather a group of friends, or find a league to join online, draft your team, set your lineup and compete in a number of different formats. Custom Mariners Jersey China . Q: Team Canada announces their Olympic roster three weeks from today. Who is general manager Steve Yzerman watching? LeBrun: Over the last 48 hours, hes taken in the home-and-home between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche with Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene being the obvious targets.India will be sending their biggest ever shooting contingent to the upcoming Olympics, with 12 shooters hoping to hit the mark in Rio. Naturally, expectations are high. The man of the moment is pistol shooter Jitu Rai, who has shown consistency in the run up to the Games, making the finals of various events. Around him, he will have a considerable breadth of experience to tap into, with Abhinav Bindra, Gagan Narang and Manavjit Sandhu completing a strong group of shooters with experience, raw talent and form. A podium finish from one of the three women in the contingent is not unrealistic either.?The teamMen:Abhinav Bindra - 10m air rifleGagan Narang - 50m rifle 3 positions, 50m rifle prone, 10m air rifleJitu Rai - 50m pistol, 10m air pistolChain Singh - 50m rifle 3 positions, 50m rifle proneGurpreet Singh - 25m rapid fire pistol, 10m air pistolPrakash Nanjappa - 50m pistolManavjit Singh Sandhu - TrapKynan Chenai - TrapMairaj Ahmad Khan - SkeetWomen:Apurvi Chandela - 10m air rifleAyonika Paul - 10m air rifleHeena Sidhu - 10m air rifle, 25m pistolThe key datesAugust 6-14How they got thereThe shooters won Olympic quotas in the respective events after making the cut at several Olympic qualifiers including the 2014 and 2015 ISSF World Championships, the 2015 ISSF World Cup series, and other designated Continental Championships till the cut-off date of March 31, 2016.What they sayJitu Rai:I first heard about Olympics, I think it was the one in Athens in 2004, when I was in school. But I wasnt sure what it meant. Though I watched Vijay Kumars 2012 London Olympics silver-medal match online, I felt no emotion.dddddddddddd Maybe because I had no idea about what an Olympic medal represents and no love for shooting. Over time, the magnitude of Olympics slowly began to sink in and now its my biggest dreamAyonika Paul:The preparations for the Olympics are going just as planned and I am happy about it. Its all about how we handle the pressure.ExtrasThis will be Bindras final outing at professional shooting as the Olympic gold-medallist has announced his retirement after the conclusion of the Olympics.Despite winning a Rio quota with a fourth-place finish in the 50m Rifle 3 positions event at the Asian shooting championship in February this year, Sanjeev Rajput missed a shot at his third Olympic appearance after the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) picked trap shooter Manavjit Singh Sandhu over him citing his consistent scores in the selection trials.Indias track record*Abhinav Bindra won a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the 10m air rifle event, becoming the first Indian to achieve the feat in an individual event.*Rajyavardhan Rathore became the first Indian shooter to win a medal after he won silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics in the double trap event.*India won two medals in shooting at the 2012 London Olympics. While Vijay Kumar won silver in the 25m rapid fire pistol event, Gagan Narang won a bronze in 10m air rifle. ' ' '