Auguste Rodin is firmly on course for what is shaping up to be a top-class edition of the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

The dual Derby and Irish Champion Stakes winner has enjoyed a break since his victory at Leopardstown, with Aidan O’Brien reporting the Deep Impact colt in good heart ahead of his date at Santa Anita on Saturday week.

The mile-and-a-half contest is also the destination for Juddmonte International winner Mostahdaf, as well as Champion Stakes victor King Of Steel.

Speaking on a Breeders’ Cup teleconference, O’Brien said: “We’re very happy with him, everything has gone well. He’s had a nice long lead up into this race and it’s a race we always thought would really suit since the last day.

“Obviously Leopardstown is a flat, left-handed track and we thought and hoped it would set him up nicely for the Breeders’ Cup given we’ve had our eye on it all year. Hopefully everything goes well for the next few days.”

Despite disappointing in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Champions Day, Paddington, a multiple Group One winner this season, is heading for the Mile.

“Paddington has had a very busy season, he turned up time after time and he wasn’t having a big break between them but he kept producing in all the top races,” said O’Brien.

“He went from the Irish Guineas and on from there. The last day at Ascot he was just a bit fresh and ran too keen in very deep, heavy ground and Ryan (Moore) just looked after him so it was one of those races you could put a line through.

“He seems to have come out of the race very well, he’s fast, he’s tough he’s hardy and tactical as well so we’re looking forward to him.”

The Ballydoyle handler will be well represented in California, with Cherry Blossom and Pearls And Rubies in the Juvenile Turf Sprint, Content (Juvenile Fillies Turf), Johannes Brahms (Juvenile/Juvenile Turf), Mountain Bear (Juvenile Turf), River Tiber (Juvenile Turf), Unquestionable (Juvenile Turf), Warm Heart (Filly & Mare Turf), Bolshoi Ballet (Turf), Broome (Turf) and Aesop’s Fables (Turf Sprint) all nominated.

One who will not be travelling, however, is 1000 Guineas fancy Opera Singer, winner of the Prix Marcel Boussac.

“Opera Singer had a busy enough season here,” explained O’Brien.

“After her last piece of work she worked very well but was a little bit quiet after it. The season was long here. We just felt to be fair to her, with a few to next year, it was the best thing to do not to ask her to travel.”

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers questioned whether someone was “making tricks” over their festive fixtures after his club’s trip to Dundee was moved to Boxing Day.

Rodgers and Motherwell have both expressed frustration on behalf of supporters after two cinch Premiership games were moved to accommodate live television coverage.

Motherwell’s Fir Park clash with Rangers has been moved from the Saturday afternoon of December 23 to a noon kick-off on Christmas Eve.

Celtic’s game at Dens Park will now take place at 3pm on Boxing Day instead of with the rest of the December 27 evening fixture card.

“It’s not ideal,” Rodgers said. “Obviously we would have preferred it to stay as it was. Especially at that time of the year.

“It’s interesting actually, I am pretty sure I’m correct in this, I think the last seven years Celtic have been away at that period of the season.

“So either we are very, very unlucky to be drawn away, or someone is making tricks behind the scenes.

“For seven years on the spin this club have been away at that time of the season. That’s not right for supporters.

“So hopefully they can maybe look at that going forward.”

Celtic’s previous six fixtures immediately after Christmas Day have been away against Hibernian, Hearts, Hamilton, St Mirren, Aberdeen and Dundee – five of them were on Boxing Day.

Motherwell revealed they were given one hour’s notice before the Scottish Professional Football League was initially going to announce their fixture change on Thursday afternoon.

Any representations the club made proved futile before the announcement was eventually made on Friday.

Motherwell acknowledged the broadcast contract allowed for such changes but claimed “moving a major fixture to this date is a special circumstance that should’ve led to additional consultation/ discussion with the club”.

A statement added: “We can only apologise to supporters who will be inconvenienced by this move and especially to those who will no longer be able to attend the game.

“We understand this move is particularly inconvenient for fans who had booked pre-match hospitality, which was already sold out.

“We are working with suppliers to provide an alternative offering pre- and post-match. We hope to still see as many of our fans as possible at the game.”

After a midweek of drama in European competition, the Premier League returns with plenty of eye-catching fixtures.

As well as the first Manchester derby of the campaign, teams towards the bottom of the table go head to head.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the main talking points ahead of the action.

Haaland v Hojlund

Erling Haaland hit a hat-trick when Manchester City beat neighbours Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium a year ago.

The free-scoring Norway striker, however, drew a blank in a 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford and the FA Cup final win in June.

City will be favourites when they make the short trip to the red side of Manchester on Sunday afternoon and Haaland will no doubt be the main goal threat.

United will hope two slender wins in the space of three days has prepared them for the derby, with their own forward, Rasmus Hojlund, in line for his first taste of the fixture.

A season finale for Toon Army’s Tonali?

Newcastle splashed a handsome £55million to land Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali in the summer – but he has just been hit with a 10-month ban after admitting to betting charges during his time at AC Milan.

While the suspension rules Tonali out for the remainder of the campaign – as well as Euro 2024 should holders Italy qualify – Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is hopeful he will have one of his new recruits available for Saturday’s trip to Wolves.

According to reports, authorities in Italy are yet to ratify the ban, opening up the prospect of a season swansong for the 23-year-old.

Bournemouth and Burnley in battle at the bottom

Between them, Bournemouth and their weekend visitors Burnley have taken just seven points from 18 Premier League games this season – leaving both sides in the bottom three.

Cherries head coach Andoni Iraola will be hoping to pick up a first league victory since his appointment in the summer with newly-promoted Burnley suffering similar struggles.

Vincent Kompany’s men won at Luton earlier in the month and, despite the slow start of both teams, victory at the Vitality Stadium could take them above the drop zone.

Luton go behind Emery lines

Luton’s five points keeps them just ahead of the bottom three heading into the weekend’s round of fixtures, but the Hatters face what is becoming an increasingly daunting prospect – a trip to Villa Park.

Unai Emery has guided Aston Villa to 11 successive home wins, with Arsenal the last side to leave with three points well back in April.

Luton will be buoyed from the fact they battled from two down to draw 2-2 at Nottingham Forest last week, but recent history is against Rob Edwards and his players, who will also be tasked with keeping the in-form Ollie Watkins quiet.

Blunted Blades face Arsenal test

While Bournemouth, Burnley and Luton are early strugglers, the Premier League table is being propped up by winless Sheffield United.

The Blades have taken just one point from their opening nine outings back in the top-flight – although boss Paul Heckingbottom will take some comfort from their improved showing in a 2-1 loss to Manchester United last time out.

They head to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, coming up against unbeaten Arsenal who will be keen to keep pace at the top as Mikel Arteta aims to build another sustained title tilt.

Teenager Lamine Yamal could become the youngest man ever to play in Spain’s El Clasico on Saturday.

Twelve months ago, the 16-year-old striker was turning out for Barcelona Under-19s, but he now has 13 senior appearances under his belt and has Real Madrid firmly in his sights.

Yamal told Barca’s official website: “Everything I do, being so young, is a record almost. People tell me but the most important thing for me is for the team to win and that I enjoy it.”

The youngster warmed up for a potential showdown with Madrid at the Estadi Olimpic by playing the full 90 minutes in Wednesday night’s 2-1 Champions League victory over Shakhtar Donetsk.

He was joined in the starting line-up by 20-year-old midfielder Fermin Lopez, who was playing his football on loan at third-tier Linares last season, but has emerged as a genuine option for boss Xavi since his return.

Lopez scored what proved to be the winning goal in Wednesday night’s 2-1 Champions League victory over Shakhtar, and is hoping for a chance to make his mark against his club’s arch-rivals.

Asked about his rise since last year, he said: “It was unthinkable at that time, but I did learn a lot. Now, I am dreaming about winning a Clasico.

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“We won in pre-season, but this time is a competitive game and it will be a dream to win it.”

Hernandez’s side head into the game sitting in third place in the LaLiga table and unbeaten in all competitions so far this season, a return which head left them just a point adrift of leaders Real.

They have been hit by injuries in recent weeks and although vastly experienced frontman Robert Lewandowski could return after being left out in midweek, Barca still have doubts over Frenkie de Jong and Raphinha, while Pedri is still out.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men, who won 2-1 at Braga on Tuesday to maintain – like Barca – a perfect start to their Champions League campaign, have been indebted in recent weeks to the form of summer signing Jude Bellingham.

The England international, who is being touted in certain quarters as the best player in the world as a result of his blistering run of form, has scored 11 goals in 12 appearances to help keep his team, whose 3-1 derby defeat at Atletico Madrid last month is their only reverse to date, on the right track.

Bellingham, 20, came off in Portugal with an adductor strain after scoring, but is expected to be fit to take his place in the starting line-up.

He told TVE in Spanish: “I’ll be at the Clasico.”

Asked about the fans hailing his dazzling form with choruses of ‘Hey Jude’, he added: “I get goosebumps just thinking about it.

“On the pitch after I’ve scored a goal or made a tackle or a piece of skill and I start to hear it slowly and then louder and louder, it’s something that I’m really proud of.

“I’m so grateful for the fans for how they’ve treated me coming into the club.

“So far it’s been a good start, but I look to continue to repay them for how they’ve welcomed me.”

LeBron James said it was an "easy" decision to play beyond a planned limit to his gametime after helping the Los Angeles Lakers to Thursday's come-from-behind victory over the Phoenix Suns.

The Lakers had planned to limit James' time on court to around 30 minutes per game in the early stages of the season, with the NBA's all-time leading scorer having missed a total of 111 games since joining the team in 2018, most of them through injury. 

James played just 29 minutes – well below his 2022-23 average of 35.5 per game – as the Lakers began the new season with a 119-107 defeat against the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday.

Head coach Darvin Ham suggested that would become the norm, but with the Lakers trailing the Suns by 12 points going into the fourth quarter, he was forced to rethink that plan.

Following a conversation with Ham, the four-time NBA champion played the entire fourth quarter and led the Lakers to a 100-95 victory, ensuring they avoided a 0-2 start to 2023-24.

James ended the game with 21 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in 35 minutes, and he had no hesitation in staying out there to get Los Angeles back in the contest. 

"He [Ham] asked me if I could go the [whole] quarter, and I looked at the time and the score and what was going on in the game, and it was an easy answer for myself," James said after the win.

"I know how much work I've put in to be able to play quarters or whatever the case may be.

"I understand that we definitely have a system in place, but tonight called for me to go outside the box."

The Lakers outscored Kevin Durant's Suns 28-11 in the fourth, with James racking up 10 points alone, vindicating Ham's decision to leave the 38-year-old on the floor.

"We were dragging our feet there for the better part of the first half, and things weren't clicking," Ham said. "He [James] has that spirit, that intensity to put the team on his shoulders. 

"I had timeouts to play with, so I went to him, I said, 'How we feeling? What do we want to do?' 

"He answered my question and you guys saw the results. So we used a couple of our timeouts to get him some breathers."

James' team-mate Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 30 points after going scoreless through the second half against Denver last time out. 

That performance led to Davis receiving fierce criticism from some quarters, but James made it clear that Los Angeles were not affected by the noise surrounding the eight-time All-Star.

"We don't give a s*** about criticism of AD," James said. "We don't care. Nothing bothers us. AD doesn't care. I don't know if guys have figured that out. 

"AD does not care. He's not on social media, so he doesn't see none of it. He rarely talks, unless it's to us, so we don't give a s*** about it, and he definitely doesn't. 

"He just goes out and does his job, and we're happy to have AD."

Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri says his side have to make their impressive win at AC Milan last week count when they face Hellas Verona on Saturday.

A 1-0 win at the San Siro saw Juve cut the gap on Milan to just one point, with Serie A leaders Inter two points further ahead.

“Tomorrow’s match is a tricky one: it is a more difficult match to prepare for than last Sunday’s, Verona have great physical strength and are physically demanding over the 90 minutes,” he told the club’s official website.

“We must make Sunday’s victory count by getting a result, otherwise we risk throwing overboard what we have achieved.

“We will have a better chance of winning if we match our opponents, and it is something we must always do, because it is a question of respect, regardless of the team in front of us.

“We will have our supporters behind us and that will be important, we will need structure, compactness and patience, because what is important is the three points and not the rankings; if anything we have to push those chasing us further away.

“The objective, clearly, is to be in the top four and play in the Champions League next year, then we will evaluate where we are at the end of the season.

“The growth of the team is based on balance and daily work, even if it is true that having young players gives enthusiasm and light-heartedness, the group wants to work, everyone plays as a team and puts their personal objectives in the background.”

Juve have had a good week in training, with Allegri having decisions to make.

“We’re all fine, Federico Chiesa came back and had a good week, so did Dusan Vlahovic,” he said.

“Hans Nicolussi Caviglia is a player who can also play in midfield, but his role is in front of the defence, his time will also come.

“He knows how to play football very well, but he has to grow in other aspects; Weston McKennie is doing well and can be important tomorrow too.

“On the left I have a doubt between Andrea Cambiaso and Filip Kostic, and I also have Samuel Iling-Junior who is definitely improving.”

Erik ten Hag revealed Casemiro is in a “race against the clock” to make the Manchester derby and says the squad is behind Alejandro Garnacho as he faces a potential ban for a social media post.

The eyes of the footballing world will be on Old Trafford this Sunday afternoon as treble winners Manchester City look to end the Red Devils’ unconvincing three-game winning streak in all competitions.

United have stumbled to those victories against Brentford, Sheffield United and Copenhagen, with a vastly improved performance required if they are to lay a glove on Pep Guardiola’s men.

The midfield battle looks key and Ten Hag says his side may be missing Casemiro for a third straight game, with an ankle injury sustained on Brazil duty putting his place in jeopardy.

“Aaron (Wan-Bissaka is back) in training today and Case is a race against the clock,” Ten Hag said. “No, not 100 per cent.”

Casemiro had trained ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Copenhagen – a group match he was unable to play in due to suspension.

The Red Devils were made to sweat in a narrow 1-0 victory against the Danish champions, with Andre Onana producing a stoppage-time penalty save that saw the under-fire goalkeeper mobbed by team-mates.

Garnacho later uploaded a photo on X, formerly known as Twitter, of the United players celebrating with the Cameroon international with a caption featuring two gorilla emojis.

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The post was quickly deleted and Onana defended his team-mate, who he said was trying to express “power and strength” as he added “this matter should go no further”.

But the Football Association has punished players in the past for making racial references on social networking sites and is understood to have sought Garnacho’s observations.

“Not (concerned about a ban) in this moment,” Ten Hag said. “We are talking with the FA.

“But what you see and I can confirm that and I want to emphasise, we are together, we are United and we have seen that in the post of Andre Onana.”

Former United striker Edinson Cavani was banned for three games and fined £100,000 in 2020 for using the Spanish phrase ‘Gracias negrito’ – which translates as ‘thanks little black’ – below a friend’s Instagram post.

The Uruguay striker also underwent a two-hour face-to-face training course for a comment said to be a term of endearment in his native Uruguay.

The previous year Bernardo Silva was given a one-match ban and fined £50,000 by the FA for his tweet to Manchester City colleague Benjamin Mendy.

The Portuguese tweeted an image of a young Mendy alongside an image of the cartoon brand mascot of Spanish confectionery brand Conguitos, with the caption “Guess who?”

Silva could be lining up at Old Trafford against Garnacho this weekend in the 191st Manchester derby – a match that could define United’s mood at a key stage of the season.

“Definitely you see we are back where we wanted to be in that this is a hard team to beat,” United boss Ten Hag said. “They find a way to win, so we are going in the right direction.

“I think it’s a match above many other derbies. It’s so huge because it’s Manchester, internal.

“But I think it’s also about world football and all the eyes will be on this game global-wide.

“In this moment they’re six points ahead, we’re six points back, so we have to catch up.

“We know we have to progress the team, so we have to make developments.”

South Africa have been urged to inspire the next generation of Siya Kolisis by claiming World Cup bragging rights in rugby’s greatest rivalry.

Each side has lifted the Webb Ellis Trophy on three previous occasions heading into Saturday’s final at the Stade de France, ensuring one of them will be crowned the most successful nation in the tournament’s history.

For the Springboks it is the opportunity to continue bringing together the country’s disparate communities, a motivation Kolisi insists provides the ‘why’ for the defence of their title.

“I believe we are a purpose-driven team, we’re not a trophy-driven team,” South Africa’s first black captain said before England were edged 16-15 in the semi-finals.

Kolisi himself grew up in poverty in a Port Elizabeth township yet has risen to become one of the game’s biggest stars and a standard bearer for the Springboks’ evolution from a symbol of apartheid to unifying force.

“This is what we live for. It’s about the people who are dreaming to be in our position in the communities back in South Africa,” assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said.

“We just want to do everything in our power to make sure we are reuniting those people.

“For a guy like Siya, coming from where he did… wow. No doubt in 20 years there will be a lot of Siya Kolisis, boys who have got here irrespective of background.

“It is like a fairytale story when you talk about Siya, but it surely does change people’s lives, whatever their background, if you have your head in the right place, if you have a goal and keep chasing it.

“The All Blacks have won the World Cup three times, we have won it three times, so this game is almost bigger than just a World Cup final.

“We just want to make our people proud because the messages we get are very special.”

How much South Africa have left in the tank after titanic knockout matches against France and England is the biggest unknown heading into the Paris showdown.

New Zealand, in contrast, routed Argentina in the semi-finals without breaking sweat and, as well as having the luxury of bringing key personnel off early and avoiding any injuries, the schedule has given them an extra day’s rest.

When the rivals last met in August the All Blacks were crushed 35-7, but they have rebuilt impressively since then and are favourites to avenge that bleak Twickenham evening.

“It has been very difficult journey,” said wing Will Jordan, who needs one more try to break the record of eight tries scored at a single World Cup.

“It has taken a huge amount of drive to turn it around to get it right. It’s a special group here and we have always been committed towards being the best team we can be.

“In 2022 we were a bit astray but we have come out of the fire a bit and I guess the big thing for us now has been the consistency has been found.

“We have been able to put back-to back performances together, which is probably what was missing before.

“The challenge for us against South Africa is to be able to go three big games in a row. It’s been a challenging period but it’s where we want to be now.”

Flooring Porter is the star attraction at Cheltenham on Saturday as the dual Stayers’ Hurdle winner returns to the Cotswolds to make his debut over fences.

Gavin Cromwell’s stable star produced two tremendous front-running performances to lift the three-mile hurdling crown in 2021 and 2022, but could finish only fourth when bidding for the hat-trick in March.

The eight-year-old subsequently finished third at Aintree before failing to make an impact in the French Champion Hurdle, and Cromwell feels the time has come to switch to the larger obstacles.

“He’s jumped well at home so hopefully he can transfer that to the track,” he said.

“He was running well last season, but he didn’t win at all and we just thought he still had a bit of time on his side and he can always go back (over hurdles) if it doesn’t work out for him over fences.”

Flooring Porter will be a warm order to dispatch of three rivals in the William Hill Lengthen Your Odds Novices’ Chase, with Henry de Bromhead’s Toss Again and the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained pair of Weveallbeencaught and Broadway Boy taking him on.

Cromwell added: “It’s a small field, but it’s not a bad race and while I won’t say he has to put his best foot forward, he’ll have to be doing things right to be winning.”

Proceedings get under way with the £60,000 Epic Value At William Hill Handicap Chase, in which Laura Morgan saddles the top-weight Notlongtillmay.

The seven-year-old enjoyed an excellent novice campaign over fences last term, winning his first three races before finishing second to Stage Star in the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Other contenders for the two-mile contest include Gary Moore’s Haddex Des Obeaux, Emma Lavelle’s Red Rookie and course-and-distance winner Before Midnight, who made an encouraging debut for Fergal O’Brien when fourth over hurdles at Chepstow a fortnight ago.

“I was very impressed with him at Chepstow – I didn’t expect him to run as well as he did,” said O’Brien.

“He does have form on soft and heavy ground from a long time ago, but I expected him to need it a bit, maybe finish fifth or sixth and come on for the run, but he was actually bang there turning in.

“He probably ended up having a harder race than we hoped for, but he’s come out of that very well, he seems very well in himself and Ben Sutton came in and schooled him on Thursday morning and he jumped very well, so we’ll take our chance.”

Tiger Roll (2014), Sceau Royal (2016), I Like To Move It (2021) and Pied Piper (2022) are among the recent winners of the Masterson Holdings Hurdle and another intriguing renewal looks in store.

Blueking D’Oroux and Spirit D’Aunou are the top two in the market for Paul Nicholls and Gary Moore respectively, while Lucinda Russell sends recent Kelso scorer Bois Guillbert from Scotland.

She said: “He took in those junior hurdles last year which are a great initiative and it taught him so much. He won two of them, he ended up with a mark of 116 and he’s won off that mark at Kelso this season, so they’re being realistic about their marks.

“He’s still a novice, which is great, and we’re running him in a four-year-old conditions race here. It’s a huge step up in grade, but I think it’s worthwhile doing that with him and it will give us an idea about what we do next.”

Last year’s winner Lord Accord bids for back-to-back victories in the Epic Jumps Season At William Hill Handicap Chase, while Noel Meade’s Bugs Moran, the Willie Mullins-trained We’llhavewan and Ringdufferin and Gortmillish from Gordon Elliott’s yard lead a strong Irish contingent in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle.

Cromwell houses the hot favourite for the William Hill Epic Weekend Free Bet Novices’ Hurdle in Antrim Coast, who impressed when opening his account over obstacles at Punchestown last time out.

Cromwell said: “He’s a nice horse and he put up a nice performance in Punchestown the last day.

“Obviously we’re stepping up a bit further in trip, but we’re chasing a bit of nice ground and if he takes a step forward, he definitely has a good chance.”

The Cheltenham & South West Racing Club Open National Hunt Flat Race brings the Showcase meeting to a close and there are plenty of interesting protagonists, including Kim Bailey’s Huntingdon scorer The Kemble Brewery, Ben Brookhouse’s point-to-point recruit Martin Plage and Mullins-trained newcomer Catch Yourself On.

Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel has no doubts goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will return stronger as he prepares for a first game in almost a year after breaking his leg while skiing.

Neuer has been out of action since December 2022 following surgery on a lower leg fracture.

After stepping up his rehabilitation, the German World Cup winner is in line to make a comeback against Darmstadt on Saturday and should then be in line for Der Klassiker next weekend.

Tuchel feels Neuer, 37, will not need much reintegration as he takes over from Sven Ulreich between the posts.

“As long as nothing happens today, he’ll play tomorrow. He’s excited, we’re excited. There’s probably a lot of other people excited about it too,” Tuchel said.

“It’s a special situation. I can feel his excitement and his class. He’s got great experience. He’s enjoying things right now and he can he proud of himself.

“He should enjoy it, and that will make him strong. There will be some tension. Now we hope that he can quickly find his rhythm and things are all good.

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“His comeback is very impressive. I notice the difference in his condition. Our whole recovery and physio department and he can be proud.

“I’m almost proud of the fact he’s come back. It’s all far more than a given. I’m very confident he’ll quickly reach his top form.”

Tuchel told a press conference: “I don’t feel he’s tensed up. I think he’ll show everyone again, but there’s some joy in him that he’s done it.

“I see a whole new level in goalkeeper training. He’s in his own league. He should see it as a gift for his work. We trust his experience and intuition.

“He has been match fit for a few weeks, now he is going to get playing time, but he can compensate for it all with his experience.”

Neuer will also have an eye on making it into Germany’s squad for next summer’s Euro 2024 tournament on home soil.

“If Manu remains free from injury until the Euros and takes all his experience, then I don’t think we’ll be asking this question in May,” Tuchel said. “But the most important thing now is that he stays fit and can keep playing.”

Bayern host Darmstadt on the back of a 12-match unbeaten run, which saw them win 3-1 away to Galatasaray in the Champions League on Tuesday might.

With Bayer Leverkusen two points clear of them at the top of the Bundesliga, Tuchel knows there can be no room for complacency from his side against Darmstadt, who have lost five of their eight games back in the top flight.

“I can imagine they will want to surprise us,” Tuchel said. “They are dangerous out wide, have settled in at this level.

“Darmstadt sometimes defend very high, very aggressively, man to man, but sometimes they also defend deep with a back five.

“But we will be ready and will give everything to win the game.”

Darmstadt coach Torsten Lieberknecht is relishing the challenge of a trip to the Allianz Arena.

“We have worked hard for this Bundesliga game, that is why we feel anticipation,” Lieberknecht told a press conference.

“Everyone knows that it is not an easy opponent we face on Saturday. Nevertheless, we want to present ourselves well as a team.

“We know that we will definitely be busy defensively. We prepare the boys so that they can show their best performance on the pitch.”

Lucinda Russell expects to have a clearer idea of what the rest of the season has in store for her Grand National hero Corach Rambler after he makes his reappearance at Kelso on Saturday.

Having already claimed the world’s most famous steeplechase with One For Arthur in 2017, Russell enjoyed a second taste of Aintree success in April as Corach Rambler, also a dual Cheltenham Festival winner following back-to-back victories in the Ultima Handicap Chase, galloped to National glory.

A 13lb rise in the weights means the nine-year-old kicks off the new campaign with a lofty mark of 159, potentially putting him in the realms of being a Cheltenham Gold Cup contender.

However, with connections having decided against a weekend trip back to the Cotswolds, first on Corach Rambler’s agenda is Kelso’s Edinburgh Gin Chase, in which he must concede upwards of a stone in weight to his five rivals.

“We had the choice between two races, but he was giving a lot of weight away at Cheltenham and this is a limited handicap,” said Russell.

“He owes us absolutely nothing and we’re delighted to get him back on the track. He seems in fantastic form, he loves being in training and loves his racing, so let’s hope he runs a big race at Kelso.

“It’s the start of the season and I think with a lot of these horses that we’re running just now, how they run now will dictate what we do for the rest of the year with them.

“At this time last year we hadn’t even thought of the Grand National with Corach Rambler and he ended up winning it, so let’s just see he how he performs and that will give us an idea what we do next.”

While keen to get this weekend’s comeback run out of the way before making concrete future plans, the Kinross handler admits to having one eye on a possible tilt at Grade One honours on Merseyside.

She added: “I’ve got it on my mind that we’ll go to the Betfair Chase at Haydock and try him at level weights, but we’ll know more after Saturday.”

Corach Rambler might not have things all his own way, with two fellow Scottish-trained course specialists among his opponents.

Sandy Thomson’s Empire Steel has won three of his four starts at Kelso and was only narrowly beaten on his other visit, while Nick Alexander’s Elvis Mail is a four-time winner at the track.

Fergal O’Brien saddles Highland Hunter, who makes his debut for the yard as a 10-year-old having been off the track for 630 days.

“He’s in great shape and we’re really happy with him,” said O’Brien.

“I was keen all along to go to Aintree on Sunday – I just thought veterans’ chase, it’s a no-brainer. But I spoke to Paddy (Brennan) earlier in the week, he rides him all the time and we all felt having been off the track for a long time, he could be very keen.

“In the end we thought rather than taking on 10 or 12 older horses around Aintree, with six or seven of them wanting to make the running, we’d go and have a pop round Kelso in a smaller field and just see how he goes.

“We have a lot of respect for Corach Rambler, but it’ll be a lot calmer waters at Kelso and for his first run back, that’s what we want.”

Henry Daly’s Rapper and Burrows Diamond from Sue Smith’s yard complete the line-up.

England forward Mike McMeeken has credited his move to Catalans Dragons with revitalising his career as he prepares to play another pivotal role in the second autumn Test against Tonga in Huddersfield on Saturday.

The 29-year-old impressed in last week’s 22-18 opening victory in St Helens as Shaun Wane’s side got off to a winning start in a series that will conclude with a third meeting at Headingley next weekend.

Having also proved crucial to his club’s march to this season’s Grand Final, McMeeken believes he is hitting the kinds of career heights that may not have been possible had he not made the brave switch to the south of France in 2021 after six seasons with Castleford.

“I had reached the stage where I knew I needed to get out of my comfort zone and there are not many better places to go than somewhere you can’t speak the language and don’t really know anyone,” McMeeken told the PA news agency.

“It was the best thing for my career at the time and it’s something I’m glad I did. I’ve played with so many great players over there, including Sam Tomkins and Mitchell Pearce, and without it I probably wouldn’t be back in the England set-up.”

Basingstoke-born McMeeken, who has blazed a trail beyond rugby league’s traditional heartland for much of his career, starting with three seasons at London Broncos, jetted straight into the England camp after his side’s Old Trafford loss to Wigan.

But he admits he scarcely had time to dwell on the disappointment of that defeat before switching his focus to a series which it is hoped will put international rugby league back on top of the agenda after the unfortunate axing of the 2025 World Cup in France.

“It was obviously disappointing to lose the Grand Final but it’s not something I really got the chance to dwell on, and as soon as I joined up with the England camp on the following Tuesday I was able to put it to the back of my mind,” added McMeeken.

“We’ve got a great opportunity here, the most important thing is getting the win on Saturday to win the series, but our aim is to win the series 3-0, and from there we can dissect and look at what we can improve in the future.”

Wane has made two enforced changes to his squad for the second match at the John Smith’s Stadium, with Warrington duo Matty Ashton and Ben Currie coming in to replace Tommy Makinson and Morgan Knowles, both of whom sustained injuries in the opening fixture.

Huddersfield prop Chris Hill is expected to win his 36th cap on home soil and will come face to face with Giants team-mate Tui Lolohea, who has promised to show no mercy as he looks to leave the outcome of the series hanging in the balance heading into next week’s concluding clash.

“It’s going to be a special day for both of us,” said Lolohea, who joined Huddersfield from Leeds in 2021. “We like to laugh and joke together and we’ll be good friends before and after the game, but while we’re on the pitch it’s war.

“I’m looking forward to playing in my home stadium at international level for the first time, but the main thing is we know if we want to win this series we’ve got to win the next two matches, and it’s as simple as that.

“We were a bit disappointed on Sunday. We played well but were let down by a lack of concentration and we think we can be a bit more competitive. It will be another tough game and that’s exactly what we came over here expecting.”

King Of Steel will aim to follow up his Champion Stakes heroics at the Breeders’ Cup next weekend.

Owner Kia Joorabchian has confirmed the three-year-old is on his way to Santa Anita, most likely for the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

He still holds the possibility of running in the Classic, but his lack of experience on dirt makes the 12-furlong turf event a heavy favourite at this stage.

“We’ve been monitoring him all week, I’ve spoken to Roger (Varian) almost every day and I went to see him this week,” Joorabchian told Nick Luck’s Daily Podcast on Friday.

“To be honest Roger has said the same thing every day, he can’t fault him and he’s in great shape. He’s come out of the race really well.

“Roger would always err on the side of caution, but he’s very happy with him so he’s going to travel today to Santa Anita so fingers crossed he should be running in, I’d say, most probably the Turf, but we haven’t completely ruled anything out yet.

“The reality is, Roger and his team probably feel much more comfortable on the turf, as a three-year-old I think we would edge towards the Turf. He’s never run on dirt and the only factor is if he gets out of the gates a little bit slower he’d get a lot of dirt in his face. That is edging us more towards the Turf.

“The jockey (Frankie Dettori) arrived there yesterday, he sent me a video of himself working out.”