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. Mousa Dembele Belgium Jersey .com) - Manchester City midfielder David Silva is expected to miss the next four weeks because of a calf problem. Youri Tielemans Belgium Jersey .C. -- After a listless first half, the Washington Wizards used a big third quarter run to beat the Charlotte Bobcats Bradley Beal scored 21 points and the Wizards used a 17-0 run in the third quarter to take control of what had been a close game and beat the Bobcats 97-83 on Tuesday night. http://www.soccerbelgiumteamonline.com/Adnan-Januzaj-UEFA-European-Belgium-Jersey/ . -- Gus Malzahn finally had his day in Fayetteville. Thomas Vermaelen Jersey . Louis Blues absence from top spot in the TSN. Eden Hazard Belgium Jersey . Brazilian national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has confirmed that the veteran goalkeeper is set to join Toronto on loan, saying it will help him be ready for the World Cup. ST. LOUIS -- Tuesday nights 12-5 victory for the St. Louis Cardinals over the Cincinnati Reds produced one of the best moments of the season when Aledmys Diaz, playing his first game since the death of close friend Jose Fernandez, whacked a grand slam.But it didnt help St. Louis gain ground on the New York Mets or San Francisco Giants in the National League wild-card race. New York and San Francisco won their games easily Tuesday night, leaving the Cardinals (82-75) a game back of the Giants and 1 1/2 behind the Mets with five contests remaining.And now St. Louis faces Cincinnatis top pitchers in the series final two games, beginning Wednesday night when the Reds (66-91) send Anthony DeSclafani to the hill opposite old teammate Mike Leake.DeSclafani (8-5, 3.38 ERA) is 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA in six career outings against the Cardinals, although hes lost his last three starts, allowing 14 runs over 16 innings and giving up four homers.Leakes next good outing against Cincinnati, the team with whom he pitched the first five-plus years of his big league career, will be his first. The Reds rapped Leake (9-11, 4.72) around to the tune of a .343 average in three starts this year.Leake, whose ERA against Cincinnati is 8.31 this season, is coming off a 5-0 loss Friday at the Chicago Cubs, giving up five runs in 3 1/3 innings thanks in part to the shaky defense thats been a St. Louis pitfall all year.The teams have exchanged blowout wins in the series first two games. The Reds stomped the Cardinals 15-2 on Mondaay night before St.dddddddddddd Louis gained revenge by belting five homers Tuesday night.I didnt anticipate that kind of vengeance. We beat them by 13 but that doesnt mean we have to lose to them the next game, Cincinnati manager Bryan Price said. I knew they wouldnt sit on their hands and wait to get beat. We got into some really bad counts and they just teed off on some fastballs.Although it hasnt happened quite as much to the Reds the second half of the season, Tuesday night was a bad flashback to the seasons first three months that paved the way for them to set an all-time MLB record for most homers allowed in a year. Theyre at 251 with five games left.Meanwhile, the Cardinals added to their NL home run lead and have 218 with five games left. Matt Carpenters 20th homer in the third inning made him the fifth player to reach 20 this year, tying a club record.Tuesday nights game also marked the first time since April 21, 2004 that they homered for the cycle. Besides Diazs emotional slam, Jhonny Peralta walloped a three-run shot, Matt Adams pinch-hit a two-run blast and Randal Grichuk joined Carpenter in the solo club.St. Louis might need to keep hitting at that rate to hold off Cincinnatis lineup.They arent making it easy for us, said Adam Wainwright, who picked up the win Tuesday night. Theyre working counts, fouling off tough pitches. Thats a good lineup over there. ' ' '