Some questions regarding redundant setup with M4300 series switches - VMware Environment

Hey guys,

we are planning to deploy new redundant Netgear Switches (M4300 series), mainly as a replacement for our currently in place core switch (also Netgear). We plan to use 2 M4300-12x12f, combined with a M4300-28G in a stack. We'll also deploy three new VMware hosts with 2 10GBASE-T interfaces each, attached directly to the redundant M4300-12x12f switches in LAG configurations.

The 12x12f Switches will be uplinked via fibre to our redundant Sophos SG230 Firewalls (LAG defined in Sophos)

Here's a quick sketch I did to explain visually what we plan to do:

As I am new to stacked switches, I have some questions. Some of these questions might be stupid, so please accept my apalogies in advance ;)

1.) Is it best practice to connect the stack in a "circle" as I did in my sketch?

2.) I understand that the stacking is mainly for configuration simplification and not for inter-switch data transmission. Therefore, should I use 10G or 1G interfaces for stacking?

3.) I still need interconnects between my switches, therefore I use redundant 10G uplinks configured in a LAG and VLAN trunks (the interconnects are missing in my sketch, in case you wonder)?

What do you guys think? Thanks a lot in advance for any help.

Cheers

Sascha