Hexastalian News

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Hexstal Examiner
Sports
Hercules FK Signs Two Promising Young Defensive Players​

Earlier today, Hercules FK announced the signings of two foreign players. Hercules, which finished the 2025-26 season a disappointing third on the table, was criticized for having a playing style too reliant on offensive play. Management appears to be attempting to address these issues with the signings of Sutheran right back Ramsay Mellors and Aubervijran center back Christiaan Reinink.

Mellors, formerly of Bridgwater AKC, is a three-year veteran of the Southern First. As a member of Bridgwater, the team finished an honest seventh place in the table. Although he put up respectable numbers during his time with the team, Mellors’ contract was not renewed by the team after the 25-26 season. Hercules paid 180,000,000 HD (~27m IBU) to bring him to the nation’s capital and patch an inconsistent gap in the team’s defense.

Reinink, a rookie from Hasseltse, received 20,000,000 (~3M IBU) to sign. A large and imposing center back, Reinink made 26 match appearances in his first season with the team but found his performance to be lacking. Several commentators noted that Hassltse’s performances that season and lower half finish may have had an influence. Hercules is taking a risk with a young and unproven player, with the hopes that Reinink was indeed being failed by his previous team and that they will be able to develop him further. Reinink in return appears to offer some sorely needed physicality and size to the team’s roster.

Hercules’ signings are just the most recent of a string of rumors, announcements, and negotiations happening across the league during the off season. A representative of the organizer stated that, “These players are being brought in to fill some gaps we have identified during the prior season.” Hercules’ star striker, Simon Ólah had this to say on the matter: “I think they’ll be good for the team. We had some pretty big issues last season. As a striker there’s only so much I can do if my defenders aren’t backing me up. I think these guys will be able to get out there, be physical, be defensive, and give us forwards the support we need.”

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Hexstal Examiner
Sports
Baccarat Unstoppable In Hexastalian Jockey Club Cup Victory
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Before watching his horses run, Jon Gulyás says a prayer. For their success, and their safety in the coming race, he says. Today, those prayers were answered when Gulyás’s talented five-year-old stayer Baccarat dominated the Grade 1 Hexastalian Jockey Club Cup under Viktor Fazekas.

The Hexastalian Jockey Club Cup, the premier staying race in Hexastalia, is run over 3,200 meters at Kiral Racecourse on the third Sunday in July. The 2026 edition drew a competitive field of fourteen, including last year’s winner, Testimonial, and last year’s bronze medalist, Cicero Terra, and 2026 Royal Cup winner Belleville. None of them could catch Baccarat however, as he dominated in the closing stretch to pull off a two-and-a-quarter length win over the second-place finisher, Nagy Arany.

Despite the abnormal heat, Baccarat broke “like a rocket”, according to Gulyás. “He likes to be in front. He got a perfect spot next to the pacesetter. Viktor rode him almost perfectly.”

“He had a lot of energy at the start.” Jockey Viktor Fazekas stated in a post-race interview, “Jon told me to keep him near the front. [Nagy] Titok was right there next to us the whole time. [Baccarat] had his ears up most of the race; he was very calm. In the end I had to push him a little bit more than I usually like but he did excellent. Very happy to win today.”

Baccarat broke sharply, unlike race favorite Testimonial. Following just off the right flank of Nagy Titok, he rated cleanly and settled into second under Fazekas. The two overtook the lead at the fourth corner and never looked back. Nagy Arany bolted down the rail to take second while Cicero Terra charged up the center of the track to take third in a photo finish with a fading Nagy Titok.

Not everyone was happy with the result, however. Testimonial was sent off at odds of 2.51-1 as the favorite to win but after a botched start, was never a factor. He finished tenth under Jószef Balogh. Alexander Vastag, Testimonial’s trainer testified, “There’s no excuses for that race. We just ran bad.” Vastag, Balogh, and Testimonial won this same race last year and placed fifth in the Leiria Gold Cup Stakes in Sutherland in March. “He’s a front-running horse. He broke poorly. He didn’t get in front, and he didn’t give his best. We can do better.” In Leiria, Testimonial placed fifth - four lengths behind Baccarat, who was just three-quarters of a length from victory.

Gulyás, who trained in Sutherland for half a decade, hinted at a possible future for Baccarat. “We’re going to the Kiral Trophy first in August. After that, we’ve got a few options: the Queen Peter Memorial Cup in November, or the Stayers Stakes in December. He added, “It’s just going to depend on how the horse feels."

Anna Mészáros, part of the group that owns and bred Baccarat said, “It’s really an honor to be part of this group. This horse is something special. We’ve known that since he was just a baby. What a day.”

Baccarat went off at odds of 4.7-1, returning 57 Dinár on a 10 Dinár win bet. He is a son of the current leading sire in Hexastalia, Deneb.

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