Giorgio Chiellini is delighted to see Juventus challenging at the Serie A summit again, but he struggles to see the Bianconeri winning the Scudetto this term.

Chiellini won nine Serie A titles during his distinguished spell with Juve, which came to an end at the conclusion of the 2021-22 season as he left for Los Angeles FC in MLS.

In their first season after the defender's departure, Juve finished seventh in Serie A, hampered by a 10-point deduction that was handed down following an investigation into the club's finances. 

However, Massimiliano Allegri has overseen a revival of their fortunes this campaign, with the Bianconeri sitting two points behind Inter at the top of Serie A after 15 games.

A 1-0 win over Napoli briefly took Juventus top on Friday, only for Inter to recapture the lead by thrashing Udinese 4-0.

While Chiellini has been impressed by his former club's resurgence, he believes toppling the Nerazzurri is a tough ask.

"It will be hard," he told Stats Perform.

"If they can be as consistent as Inter, if they arrive in that situation in March, I think it could be a possibility, but it's hard following a team for many months in a row. 

"We'll see, we'll see. I'm very happy obviously that they are having a good season and I hope they can finish first and win the title. 

"I think the key is the consistency of Inter, who are by far the favourites for the league." 

Juventus' off-pitch problems have refused to go away this term, though, with midfielder Paul Pogba suspended by the club after testing positive for heightened levels of testosterone following a win over Udinese in August.

Pogba's B sample also returned a positive test result, and he could face a ban of between two and four years if found guilty of doping.

Chiellini was a team-mate of Pogba's during the Frenchman's first spell in Turin between 2012 and 2016, and he says the midfielder's current situation is sad to see.

Asked how he responded to Pogba's positive test, Chiellini said: "I just text him because I knew him as a kid, from when he was 19. I love him as a good guy and I'm very sad for the situation. 

"I don't know other things, just what is public, because I cannot ask him; 'What happened? Did you do this?' It's something very bad. 

"I just ask people to be close to him and give support to him. I'm very sad and I don't know how to finish this type of situation. Everyone who has known Paul in his life will be very sad about what's happening."

Ronnie O’Sullivan has pulled out of the BetVictor Scottish Open citing medical reasons.

The 48-year-old world number one, who earlier this month won a record-extending eighth UK Championship title in York, had been due to face Liam Graham in the opening round, but Graham will now receive a bye.

O’Sullivan is a two-time winner of the Scottish Open, beating John Higgins in the 1998 final and seeing off Mark Williams two years later.

He was runner-up to Mark Selby in 2020, losing the final 9-5.

Although his 10-7 win over Ding Junhui in the UK Championship final made the seven-time world champion both the youngest and oldest ever winner of the competition, O’Sullivan has recently had issues away from the table.

He withdrew from the Champion of Champions tournament in November, saying he was “mentally feeling a bit drained and stressed” after taking part at the International Championship in China.

Aston Villa are just two points off the Premier League summit after their victory over Arsenal on Saturday.

Not only did Villa boss Unai Emery get one over his former club but the 1-0 triumph saw his side extend their winning league run at home to 15 games.

Emery and his players are not entertaining talk of a surprise title run but, here, the PA news agency looks at how Villa are defying the odds to fight at the top of the table.

What impact has Emery had?

When Emery was chosen to replace Steven Gerrard in the Villa Park hotseat last November, the club were among the sides that could have been dragged into a relegation battle. The Spaniard, however, turned things around and Villa finished the season in seventh, qualifying for the Europa Conference League. This season, things have improved even more, and since Emery’s arrival he has overseen 26 wins from his 41 Premier League games in charge.

Who has shone under Emery?

Any team wanting to compete towards the top of the table is likely to need a prolific goalscorer – and Villa can call on Ollie Watkins as the man to consistently find the back of the net. Emery can again lay claim to helping the England striker improve his output and the 27-year-old has hit eight Premier League goals this season, while also laying on six assists. Watkins has also seemingly taken the spot as back-up to Harry Kane in the England squad and he will be keen to continue his club form in the hopes of heading to Euro 2024 next summer.

Anyone else?

Several players inherited by Emery have improved under the Spaniard – the likes of Ezri Konsa, John McGinn, Douglas Luiz and the aforementioned Watkins, for example. Villa also added Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans and Moussa Diaby in the summer with the trio playing their part in helping Emery’s side make improvements. Emery can also call on World Cup winner Emiliano Martinez, who was also crowned the world’s best goalkeeper at the Ballon D’Or ceremony last month.

Hitting a home run

Villa have won all 15 of their Premier League home games since losing 4-2 to Arsenal in February. It is a club-record run that has turned them into, at this stage of the season, bona fide title contenders. In the space of four days, Villa beat reigning champions Manchester City and last season’s runners-up Arsenal to show they can mix it with the best the league has to offer.

What are their festive fixtures like?

Villa have a great chance to further extend their winning home run as relegation-threatened pair Sheffield United and Burnley are next up at Villa Park. A trip to Brentford on Sunday follows the final game of their Europa Conference League group, where they travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina to take on Zrinjski Mostar knowing a point is enough to progress as group winners. They then face a Boxing Day trip to Manchester United but, with Old Trafford no longer the fortress it once was, Villa will fancy their chances.

Italy great Giorgio Chiellini believes the Azzurri have a bright future ahead of them and says critics have been overly pessimistic regarding their chances at Euro 2024.

Chiellini captained Italy as they overcame England in the final of Euro 2020, but the Azzurri have not been widely tipped to retain their crown after enduring a difficult few years.

Having missed out on the last two World Cups, Italy somewhat scraped their way through qualifying for next year's tournament in Germany, losing home and away to England and requiring a nervy 0-0 draw with Ukraine on the final matchday to avoid the playoffs.

Ahead of Luciano Spalletti's first major tournament in charge, Italy have been drawn to face Spain, Croatia and Albania in a difficult-looking group, but Chiellini believes reports of the Azzurri's demise have been greatly exaggerated.

"I know the Italian draw very well. Croatia and Spain are good teams with experience, with good players," the defender told Stats Perform.

"Albania is our biggest friend that we face. We are very happy that they joined the Euros. I have a lot of Albanian friends and they deserve it. We have to respect that. 

"Obviously, we will try to pass through the group, arrive in the quarter-finals and then we'll see. We have seen also in the last [Euros], we were lucky. 

"I guess also in the round of 16 [against Austria], and we were lucky to win on penalties in the last two games, but at the end we deserved to win. 

"There is a good cycle, a new cycle, with good young players. I think that could be a good spine for the national team. 

"I don't know if they need maybe more time to be in the right moment and in their prime to win, but there is a bright future for the Italian national team."  

Asked who excited him most in the current Italy setup, Chiellini said: "I think [Gianluigi] Donnarumma is by far the best young goalkeeper that we could have and he's really special.

"[Alessandro] Bastoni is a fantastic defender and we have a lot of amazing midfielders. [Marco] Verratti is just 31, he's not 40 like me! We have a good midfield.

"[Federico] Chiesa is someone that could break every line in every moment of the game. Italy have a good team. 

"Now I hope that there are new faces arriving because we have a good academy for the national team, with players coming through. 

"We have a good coach, everything is good. Sometimes in Italy, we are too pessimistic with the team and we talk badly, but I think that we have a bright future and a really good team."

Grand Sefton hero Gesskille will be given another opportunity to showcase his prowess over a unique jumping test when he takes on the challenge of Cheltenham’s cross-country track on Friday.

The seven-year-old has developed a real affinity to the Grand National fences at Aintree since joining Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero and having gone close in both the Grand Sefton and Becher last season, returned to Liverpool last month to get his head in front.

Gesskille’s training team are now preparing him for a first taste of Prestbury Park in the Glenfarclas Crystal Cup Cross Country Handicap Chase and a race that could contain high-class Gordon Elliott pair Conflated and Galvin, as well as former Gold Cup winner Minella Indo.

However, Greenall is hopeful his charge will relish his next assignment in a race which could help determine whether a return to Aintree for the Grand National is on the cards for 2024.

Greenall said: “It’s obviously a unique track and it’s hard to know what type of horse likes it. He’s ran in France, not in a cross-country, but in a normal chase which is a bit similar to a cross-country race, but not really the same.

“He’s going to go for a school (at Cheltenham) and I’m sure he will enjoy the jumping, it’s just the twisting and turning to work out. We just felt it might be a good option for him.

“He’s been in good form (since Aintree) and he will probably have a break after this and we will aim him at either the National or Auteuil in the spring.”

Erik ten Hag is confident his inconsistent but talented Manchester United side can beat Bayern Munich to stay in Europe as they pray for a Champions League miracle.

The Red Devils’ Group A campaign has been punctuated by goals, madness and mistakes, leaving their hopes of reaching the knockout phase hanging by a thread.

United have just four points and sit bottom of the pool heading into the final match against already-qualified Bayern, meaning progress is out of their hands.

Ten Hag’s men need to become the first side to beat the German outfit in a Champions League group game since September 2017 and hope Copenhagen and Galatasaray draw in the other game.

United are guaranteed at least a place in the Europa League if they win on a night that the Dutchman is heading into without thinking about the impact of failing to qualify from the group.

He said: “I don’t know. What I know is I never think in a negative scenario. We think positive, so we know what to do.

“We have to win to stay in Europe, so it’s all about that.

“We will prepare the team with that feeling and with that belief that we are able to do it and I think we have shown in the last weeks when we are on our best then we can do it.”

United limp into this match on the back of Saturday’s awful 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth, which led Ten Hag to admit his team were not good enough to be consistent high performers.

But the Dutchman remains confident his side possesses the quality to beat the best as they look to end Bayern’s competition record 39-match unbeaten group-stage run.

“It’s our team (that gives me hope),” Ten Hag said. “We are not consistent. Clear.

“But we have also a very good performance and highs, so if we get it when we are in the right spirit, then we are able to do it and we are able to beat any opponent.

“The game against Chelsea (gives me belief), the game against Everton, even the game against Galatasaray.

“So, I know this team can perform really at high levels and it’s not that we did it three months ago. No, we did it last week, so I know we can do it.

“When we have the right mood, we have the right spirit, it starts with the right attitude, if everyone is ready for it, we are able to do it.”

United’s previous two Champions League matches have been on the road – a 4-3 defeat to Copenhagen at a rocking Parken Stadium before receiving their ‘Welcome to Hell’ in Turkey a fortnight ago.

Ten Hag’s men blew a two-goal lead in a frustrating 3-3 draw at hostile Galatasaray and the Red Devils boss stressed the importance of the Old Trafford crowd on Tuesday.

“I think Old Trafford is not a nice place to come for an opponent, and we are aware of it,” Ten Hag said.

“It starts with us but then, of course, you hope that the fans we are together.

“As long as I’m here, I always have the feeling we are absolutely together. There’s a very strong bond between the team and the fans.

“They’re always behind this, even when we have big setbacks. They’re staying behind us, they’re supporting us, so very happy with that.

“But we have to take the responsibility. It starts with us, we have to energise them.”

United are still juggling with a number of key injuries as they prepare to host Bayern and travel to rivals Liverpool on Sunday, with Victor Lindelof a doubt having missed the Bournemouth defeat through injury.

“It’s a condensed programme, so we have a training (to come),” Ten Hag said.

“So in this moment, I’m not sure about everyone and who is available for tomorrow.

“So, a question mark is, for instance, on Victor Lindelof if he can make it or not.

“We have to wait and to see until tomorrow, then we know.”

Joseph O’Brien’s Fakir D’oudairies adds a touch of class to proceedings at Cheltenham as he tops the 15 confirmed for the Virgin Bet December Gold Cup Handicap Chase.

The eight-year-old has been something of a stable star for O’Brien over the years, picking up Grade One prizes at both Aintree and Ascot and regularly seen competing against the very best.

He now drops into handicap company for his seasonal return, with his Owning Hill handler confirming he is on course to appear at Prestbury Park on Saturday.

“The plan is for him to run at Cheltenham,” said O’Brien.

“It will be nice to get him back started this season and it looks a good place for his reappearance. Hopefully he goes well dropping in class.”

Fakir D’oudairies is one of two possible runners in the race for owner JP McManus with Emmet Mullins’ So Scottish another potential raider from Ireland.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls also has two bullets to fire with Monmiral joining Paddy Power Gold Cup third Il Ridoto on the Ditcheat teamsheet.

“I’m looking forward to Saturday, they’re both in great shape,” Nicholls said in his ‘Ditcheat Diary’ on Betfair.

“Bryony (Frost) is going to ride Il Ridoto and Harry (Cobden) is going to ride Monmiral. We’ve just schooled them both and they’re both in good order.

“Monmiral is a Grade One winner coming back from a few problems, I’m looking forward to running him.”

Richard Hobson’s Fugitif has a fine Cheltenham record and attempts to better his fourth at the track last month now switching to the New course which suits him better, while Thunder Rock saw the form of his winning Carlisle reappearance franked by the runner-up Mahler Mission at Newbury and will represent trainer Olly Murphy.

Scotland will meet the Netherlands and Northern Ireland in March friendlies next year as they step up preparations for Euro 2024.

Steve Clarke’s side will visit the Dutch on Friday, March 22, with the venue to be confirmed by the hosts in the near future.

Hampden will then host its first men’s international of the year when Northern Ireland visit on Tuesday, March 26, Scotland announced on Monday.

The Scots are in the process of arranging further friendlies in early June ahead of the showpiece tournament that gets under way in Germany later that month.

Scotland last faced the Dutch in June 2021 when they drew 2-2 in a friendly prior to the last European Championship, while their last meeting with Northern Ireland was a friendly at Hampden in 2015 when Christophe Berra secured a 1-0 win.

Former England captain Sarah Hunter admits it is a dream to know the North East will host the opening fixture of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

It was confirmed on Monday by World Rugby and Rugby Football Union that the Red Roses will kick off the tournament at Sunderland’s 48,707-seater Stadium of Light on August 22, with the final set to take place at Twickenham on September 27.

Hunter, who was born in North Shields, bowed out from the international game in March after playing her 141st Test against Scotland at Newcastle’s Kingston Park and is excited about a new generation being inspired by this fixture.

“When I knew the North East was getting a game, I was so excited and when I heard it was the opening game with the Red Roses, honestly it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up,” Hunter said.

“I am so proud to be from the North East and I know how much sport means to people here.

“The game is massive here and I think because we’re so far away, we sometimes get forgotten about, but to rubber-stamp it by hosting that first game here, we can show everyone how great the people are and what a great host city it can be.

“To know it could spark someone to either start rugby or want to continue it and hopefully in three or four World Cups’ time there can be players in the Red Roses team who were here because that is what they needed to generate that excitement and inspiration to want to play rugby.”

Hunter was a key figure the last time England hosted the World Cup in 2010, but the majority of fixtures for that tournament were played at Surrey Sports Park in Guildford.

After leading her country to the World Cup final against hosts and eventual winners New Zealand last year, the current England transitional coach is proud of the game’s continued growth.

She added: “I’ve been a couple of times to the Stadium of Light but I’m not going to lie, I’ve been to St James’ Park a few more times! But it’s an incredible stadium.

“My first (Test) cap at Old Albanian Rugby Club was in front of 200 people, the first World Cup I played was a home World Cup and we played our Pool games at Surrey Sports Park, which at the time was the right venue.

“So, to come to the Stadium of Light for the opening game and to have the atmosphere that will be generated, to be playing in stadiums of this calibre has been the dream.

“I am so excited and in some respects, I wish I was a little bit younger so I could have another crack at a home World Cup!

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“Now going back into the team on a coaching capacity, you want to be performing in your home World Cup.

“Having played in the last two and fallen short in the final, we will definitely set our eyes on winning this home World Cup.”

Rookie spinner Shoaib Bashir has been handed a shock call-up for England’s new year Test tour of India, just six months after making his first-class debut for Somerset.

The 20-year-old off-spinner has made just six senior red-ball appearances, taking 10 wickets at an average of 67, but earned a spot on a recent England Lions training camp in the United Arab Emirates and impressed enough to be fast-tracked into the main squad.

Bashir is one of three uncapped players in a 16-strong group, though Lancashire’s left-arm spinner Tom Hartley and Surrey quick Gus Atkinson have represented their country in white-ball cricket and were fancied to make the trip.

Bashir represents a much bolder choice, having only broken into Somerset’s LV= Insurance County Championship side for the first time in June.

Speaking to the Somerset website just a matter of weeks ago, he suggested his had not even expected to be involved with the Lions this winter.

“When I got the call, I was very surprised,” he said.

“I’m very grateful to get this opportunity and I’m excited to get started. I’m just going to keep working hard, learning and making the most of opportunities like this.”

England’s selection panel, headed by director of cricket Rob Key, made a similar call this time last year when they drafted teenager Rehan Ahmed for the tour of Pakistan. He went on to become the country’s youngest male Test cricketer at just 18 and took five wickets on debut in Karachi.

Fresh from an encouraging ODI series in the Caribbean, leg-spinner Ahmed returns to the Test squad as part of a slow-bowling group led by Jack Leach. Leach is fit again after a stress fracture of the back saw him miss last summer’s Ashes series.

The experienced left-armer Liam Dawson, who had been tipped for a potential recall after an impressive season for Hampshire, was not included. Both he and talented Surrey all-rounder Will Jacks missed out on the recent batch of central contracts and have pursued franchise contracts over the winter.

England begin the first of five games against India in Hyderabad on January 25 following a training week in the UAE. Ben Stokes is hoping to be fit to lead the side but is currently in rehabilitation having undergone surgery on his longstanding left knee injury.

Wicketkeeper Ben Foakes travels despite losing the gloves to Jonny Bairstow against Australia and could be a strong candidate to break back into the first choice XI given the importance of the role in the sub-continent.

With Stuart Broad retired, there are four fast bowlers chosen: James Anderson, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood and Atkinson.

England squad for Test tour of India: B Stokes (c), R Ahmed, J Anderson, G Atkinson, J Bairstow (wkt), S Bashir, H Brook, Z Crawley, B Duckett, B Foakes (wkt), T Hartley, J Leach, O Pope, O Robinson, J Root, M Wood.

Manchester United’s comprehensive defeat by Bournemouth means they have lost more home league games in the 10 years since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement than they did in his 21 Premier League seasons at Old Trafford.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the declining status of the ‘Theatre of Dreams’.

Home invasion

While Ferguson took charge of United in 1986, United’s dominant era began after the top flight’s breakaway and rebranding in 1992.

From that point until his retirement in 2013, United lost only 34 home Premier League games at an average of 1.6 per season.

Bournemouth on Saturday inflicted the 35th in less than 10 and a half seasons since with a 3-0 rout of Erik ten Hag’s side that could have been even more emphatic.

It was the Cherries’ first ever win at Old Trafford and Andoni Iraola’s side are by no means the first of the Premier League’s lesser names to shock United at home since Ferguson’s exit.

While Manchester City have six wins on enemy turf and Liverpool and Tottenham three each, David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho all suffered home defeats to West Brom while Crystal Palace twice defeated Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team and also won 1-0 this season.

The teams to win three times or more at Old Trafford in Ferguson’s Premier League tenure are topped by Chelsea with six wins and Liverpool four. Arsenal and Man City managed three apiece and even the one surprise name, Middlesbrough, were in an era when they won a League Cup and could boast players such as Juninho, Gaizka Mendieta and Alen Boksic in their line-ups.

United have already lost at home this season to Brighton, Palace, Man City and Bournemouth. Only once under Ferguson did they lose four or more Premier League home games in a season, six in 2001-02.

They topped that mark in the first season after his departure with seven, and also had six in 2020-21 and four in 2021-22.

Solskjaer’s reign accounts for 13 of the 35 home losses, with six for Moyes and Ten Hag joining his countryman Van Gaal on five. Mourinho had four, with one each for Giggs and Ralf Rangnick.

Season of struggle

United’s seven losses in 16 games home and away is their most at this stage of a Premier League season – indeed, on 19 occasions out of 31 they have gone a full campaign with fewer defeats.

The last time United racked up as many losses this early was in 1989-90, when they finished 13th but an FA Cup win saved Ferguson’s job.

They have a negative goal difference at this stage – scoring 18 league goals and conceding 21 – for the first time since 1986-87, when Ferguson replaced the sacked Ron Atkinson.

Scott McTominay is their Premier League top scorer with five goals. Bruno Fernandes (three) and Marcus Rashford (two) are the only other players to score more than once, ranking joint-lowest with Sheffield United, Luton, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace in that category.

They are the only team in England’s top four tiers not to have drawn a league game this season and that run stretches 23 games in all, since April’s 2-2 draw with Spurs. That is United’s longest such run since the 1934-35 season.

Rookie spinner Shoaib Bashir has been handed a shock call-up for England’s new year Test tour of India, just six months after making his first-class debut for Somerset.

The 20-year-old off-spinner has made just six senior red-ball appearances, taking 10 wickets at an average of 67, but earned a spot on a recent England Lions training camp in the United Arab Emirates and impressed enough to be fast-tracked into the main squad.

Bashir is one of three uncapped players in a 16-strong group, though Lancashire’s left-arm spinner Tom Hartley and Surrey quick Gus Atkinson have represented their country in white-ball cricket and were fancied to make the trip.

Bashir represents a much bolder choice, having only broken into Somerset’s LV= Insurance County Championship side for the first time in June.

Speaking to the Somerset website just a matter of weeks ago, he suggested his had not even expected to be involved with the Lions this winter.

“When I got the call, I was very surprised,” he said.

“I’m very grateful to get this opportunity and I’m excited to get started. I’m just going to keep working hard, learning and making the most of opportunities like this.”

England’s selection panel, headed by director of cricket Rob Key, made a similar call this time last year when they drafted teenager Rehan Ahmed for the tour of Pakistan. He went on to become the country’s youngest male Test cricketer at just 18 and took five wickets on debut in Karachi.

Fresh from an encouraging ODI series in the Caribbean, leg-spinner Ahmed returns to the Test squad as part of a slow-bowling group led by Jack Leach. Leach is fit again after a stress fracture of the back saw him miss last summer’s Ashes series.

The experienced left-armer Liam Dawson, who had been tipped for a potential recall after an impressive season for Hampshire, was not included. Both he and talented Surrey all-rounder Will Jacks missed out on the recent batch of central contracts and have pursued franchise contracts over the winter.

England begin the first of five games against India in Hyderabad on January 25 following a training week in the UAE. Ben Stokes is hoping to be fit to lead the side but is currently in rehabilitation having undergone surgery on his longstanding left knee injury.

Wicketkeeper Ben Foakes travels despite losing the gloves to Jonny Bairstow against Australia and could be a strong candidate to break back into the first choice XI given the importance of the role in the sub-continent.

With Stuart Broad retired, there are four fast bowlers chosen: James Anderson, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood and Atkinson.

England squad for Test tour of India: B Stokes (c), R Ahmed, J Anderson, G Atkinson, J Bairstow (wkt), S Bashir, H Brook, Z Crawley, B Duckett, B Foakes (wkt), T Hartley, J Leach, O Pope, O Robinson, J Root, M Wood.

John ‘Shark’ Hanlon is gearing Hewick up for a crack at the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase, providing conditions at Kempton prove suitable over the Christmas period.

The Boxing Day feature has an open look to it following the Betfair Chase defeat of Bravemansgame and Nicky Henderson’s struggles to get Shishkin a prep run and as such, Hanlon is keen to throw Hewick’s hat into the ring having been successful on raiding missions in the past.

The eight-year-old, who was famously picked up for just €850, has won the American Grand National on his travels before, as well as progressing from winning the Durham National to win land both the Bet365 Gold Cup and John Oaksey Chase at Sandown in the past two seasons.

However, ground conditions will prove crucial in deciding where Hewick lines up for his seasonal reappearance, with Leopardstown’s Savills Chase (December 28) also on the radar.

“He’s entered in the King George which looks a possibility at the minute,” Hanlon said.

“A lot will depend on the ground and with the weather the way it is at the minute, if we don’t have goodish ground I won’t run him. He wants good ground.

“We’re after getting a month of rain in the last fortnight and meetings are still being called off in England this week.

“If the ground is anywhere near good at Kempton he will go to Kempton. With the results over there in the last couple of weeks you would have to think he would have a real chance.”

Hewick was running a massive race in last season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup when taking a crushing fall at the second-last and another shot at the blue riband is central to the gelding’s plans this season.

His Christmas outing at either Kempton or Leopardstown could be the only time Hewick is sighted before March, with his handler keen to arrive at Prestbury Park with a horse at the peak of his powers.

“He’s in real good form and we’re kind of training him for a Gold Cup, that’s the plan,” continued Hanlon.

“He ran very well in it last year and he will go fresh to it this year. He will probably only have one run before he goes and I would love to go to Kempton, but we’re kind of dependent on the ground and it is the same with Leopardstown, wherever the ground is best he will go.

“We’ll put him away then and have a crack at the big one.”