Everton used the desire to right the perceived wrong against them to inflict Newcastle’s heaviest defeat of the season as a 3-0 victory in front of an equally fired-up Goodison Park moved the Toffees out of the relegation zone again.
With an appeal pending on the 10-point deduction for breach of financial regulations, manager Sean Dyche has said they have to continue to deliver on the pitch and they duly did with a rousing display against the top-four contenders.
Dwight McNeil, Abdoulaye Doucoure and substitute Beto all scored late on, making the most of another superb performance from centre-backs James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite, as Newcastle’s miserable away form extended to one win in the last nine games.
Without the deduction Everton would currently be 10th – just six points behind the visitors – rather than seven places worse off but this was the sort of performance which gives more power to the argument Dyche’s side will be just fine whether the deduction is reduced or not.
Newcastle’s England right-back Kieran Trippier had an evening to forget as his two errors, getting caught in possession by McNeil for the crucial first and hitting a clearance into Jack Harrison for the second, proved costly while former Toffee Anthony Gordon, booed throughout, played the final few moments with the taunts of the crowd ringing around the old ground.
McNeil’s goal, via a helpful deflection of Fabian Schar, was Everton’s 18th shot of game which looked like promising much but ultimately delivering little, as has been the case at Goodison Park this season, with this being only their second home league win in eight attempts.
Doucoure and then Beto, with his first Premier League goal deep into added time, kicked off wild celebrations – and late scuffles on the pitch after the final whistle.
A change in Everton’s formation with captain Seamus Coleman making his first appearance since a knee injury in April, saw Ashley Young moved into midfield with Jack Harrison in the hole behind the returning Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with Doucoure dropping into a deeper role due to James Garner’s illness.
However, there was no change to the pattern of home games this season as the hosts struggled to find the breakthrough.
McNeil rolled a shot wide of the post but Calvert-Lewin was the main protagonist and also chief culprit as, after forcing Martin Dubravka into a 20th-minute save from Harrison’s through-ball, he amazingly missed from five yards.
The England international controlled Branthwaite’s lobbed pass on his chest, swivelled but blazed a left-foot shot into the Park End, who earlier had continued the fans’ protests against the points deduction by holding up green cards declaring ‘Protecting the few, not the many’.
Newcastle were not much better with a weak Miguel Almiron shot and Alexander Isak header wide from close range the best they could offer.
Gordon had the chance to ratchet up the contempt with which he was held when gifted a chance to beat Jordan Pickford on the hour by Branthwaite’s mis-control but he shot straight at the England number one.
And Goodison sarcastically jeered when Gordon, now playing centrally, blazed over from an Isak counter-attack but the noise was even louder when McNeil finally made one of their chances count.
When Doucoure and Beto made the game safe the joy was unbridled but the niggly nature of the game meant was still time after the final whistle for a minor scuffle involving, among others Pickford, Joelinton and Gordon, while Schar left the pitch seemingly looking like he wanted to pick a fight with anyone who made eye contact.
The Golden State Warriors rallied for a 110-106 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday as Jonathan Kuminga's impressive cameo left Steve Kerr pondering more changes to his lineup.
Stephen Curry overcame a slow start to finish with a game-high 31 points as the Warriors saw off Portland at Chase Center, though their victory was far from a sure thing until Kuminga's third-quarter introduction.
Against the team with the second-worst record in the Western Conference, the Warriors looked lifeless until the 21-year-old entered the fray.
Kuminga starred with 13 points in 17 minutes, stealing the ball from Toumani Camara at a vital moment late on to kick-start a move which ended with a Curry three-pointer, making the result safe.
The Warriors are now 10-11 for the season, with injuries and suspensions – most notably Draymond Green's five-game ban for putting Rudy Gobert in a chokehold – having hampered their attempts to build any lasting momentum.
Golden State have already used nine different starting lineups this year, with only the Miami Heat naming more in the whole league, and Kerr expects the rotation to continue for the time being.
"The puzzle hasn't fit this year," Kerr said. "We've had a lot of guys playing well, but we may have to think about moving the starting lineup around from game to game depending on who we are facing.
"I'd still prefer to get something solid, but we haven't established anything this year. We're a quarter of a way through, so there is a lot of thought that has to go into this.
"I've really been patient and hoping to get our starting unit from the last couple of years into a good groove.
"It's easier to play and to coach when everybody knows exactly where they fit in. It's easier to play a role when there is a set rotation and the stars are playing well so the puzzle fits.
"Every night is going to be different with this team, that's what I am figuring out. We don't have roster clarity in terms of who's going to play every single night."
Curry added that the Warriors need greater flexibility in games, saying: "There have been situations this year… obviously we lost some big leads because we haven't been able to adapt quickly enough in those kinds of games.
"It's the same thing with the coach's decisions that he has to make on a night-to-night basis."
Luka Doncic hailed an "amazing" night after surpassing Larry Bird with the 60th triple-double of his NBA career, helping the Dallas Mavericks crush the Utah Jazz 147-97 on Wednesday.
Doncic recorded the first first-half triple-double of his career at American Airlines Center, finishing with 40 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in just three periods as the Mavs dominated from the off.
The four-time All-Star brought up his 60th triple-double with just under a minute remaining in the second quarter, moving past Bird to go ninth outright in the league's all-time rankings.
Asked what it meant to surpass the Boston Celtics icon, Doncic said: "It's pretty amazing. I don't know what to say, honestly. We all know who Larry Bird is, so it's pretty special."
Kyrie Irving added 26 points for Dallas, who had their highest-scoring game of this season and came up two points shy of the highest-scoring game ever in regulation.
Dallas guard Tim Hardaway Jr., who added 17 points in 22 minutes on the court, said after the win: "Luka set the tone with that, knocking down shot after shot after shot… after shot after shot after shot! I thought he was going to go 50-20-20!"
While Dallas snapped a two-game losing streak to improve to 12-8, putting them fourth in the Western Conference standings, the Jazz sit 12th at 7-14 after a performance which left coach Will Hardy furious.
"That was an absolutely horrendous performance," Hardy fumed.
"It seemed like the Mavericks were moving at a different pace than we were from start to finish."
Kevin Sinfield will take some time to consider his next campaign after completing the latest energy-sapping fundraising challenge to help people living with motor neurone disease as the push to raise awareness and research for a cure goes on.
Inspired by former Leeds team-mate Rob Burrow, the 43-year-old pushed through a gruelling schedule of running seven ultramarathons in as many days in seven different cities around Britain and Ireland.
Sinfield, the current England rugby union defence coach, had again battled the elements en route to crossing the finishing line to a rapturous welcome on The Mall in London on Thursday afternoon.
The team had taken to the roads once again to raise awareness of MND and funds for five charities supporting people affected by the condition and their families, and also to fund research into effective treatments and ultimately a cure.
Each leg of his latest challenge comprised 27 miles – the conventional marathon distance with an extra mile added to signify how much further people can go to help friends in need.
On Thursday evening, the Motor Neurone Disease Association confirmed with online and other donations, Sinfield’s latest campaign had passed the £777,777 target.
Proceeds from the ‘7in7in7’ initiative will go to mainly to the MND Association and Leeds Hospitals Charity appeal to build the Rob Burrow MND centre in the city.
There will also be donations to the My Name’5 Doddie, the Irish MND Association, the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation and support for the 4ED campaign.
Although taking a well-deserved to reflect with his team on their achievements, Sinfield knows there remains plenty of hard work ahead in the continuing quest for a cure.
“I think we will see,” Sinfield said when asked what other challenges might be on the horizon.
“What I am really conscious of is the team have put so much into the last four that we have done and I can’t do it on my own.
“I know we are extremely passionate about what we have done. We have got some time together on the bus tonight, so we will let everybody settle and enjoy, to celebrate because it has been a really good week.
“I will never say never – there is a big possibility we will go again.
“I think some of that will show in what our grand total ends up being, because we are certainly all conscious of compassion fatigue.
“But we are also really conscious that we are really passionate about the MND community and how we can help it, whether that is through running or not, we are not sure.
“But we are really keen to see the donations and where those end up, because ultimately they are the things that really shift it.
“We want to raise the awareness, we want to change how people feel about the MND community.
“But if we are really going to help them, then we need to continue to raise money so that they can find a cure.”
Sinfield added: “Wherever we have been now, we have had unbelievable support, especially from the MND community, so that needs to continue in some way, shape or form.”
Former England bowler Stuart Broad and Rugby World Cup winner Will Greenwood were among the guests who joined Sinfield during the final leg in London, which had started at Twickenham.
With his latest campaign put to bed, it will not be long before Sinfield’s attentions turn swiftly back to his day job.
“I have got some work to do tomorrow and I will be at a game on Sunday (Sale v Stade Francais), but I will try to catch up on some sleep and I want to see some family,” Sinfield said.
“I was away for five months and then had a busy month getting ready for this, then away again for a week so I am really looking forward to Christmas.”
:: To donate to Kevin Sinfield’s 7 in 7 in 7 quest, visit https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/kevin-sinfield
The FIA has dropped its investigation into a potential conflict of interest between Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and his wife Susie Wolff after concluding they did not share confidential information.
A report in Business F1 magazine said there was concern among other Formula One team principals that Toto Wolff was benefiting from information, via his wife, which was not being shared with them.
Susie Wolff, who is F1 Academy managing director, vehemently rejected the allegations after the FIA announced on Tuesday its compliance department was “looking in to the matter”.
The governing body concluded no wrongdoing has taken place and announced there is no ongoing investigation involving any individual.
“Following a review of Formula One Management’s F1 Code of Conduct and F1 Conflict of Interest Policy and confirmation that appropriate protective measures are in place to mitigate any potential conflicts, the FIA is satisfied that FOM’s compliance management system is robust enough to prevent any unauthorized disclosure of confidential information,” read a statement.
“The FIA can confirm that there is no ongoing investigation in terms of ethical or disciplinary inquiries involving any individual.
“As the regulator, the FIA has a duty to maintain the integrity of global motorsport. The FIA reaffirms its commitment to integrity and fairness.”
In her role at the all-female F1 academy, to which she was appointed in March, Susie Wolff reports directly to F1 president and chief executive Stefano Domenicali.
A social media post from her on Tuesday read: “I am deeply insulted but sadly unsurprised by the public allegations that have been made this evening.
“It is disheartening that my integrity is being called into question in such a manner, especially when it seems to be rooted in intimidatory and misogynistic behaviour, and focused on my marital status rather than my abilities.
“Throughout my career in motorsport, I have encountered and overcome numerous obstacles and I refuse to let these baseless allegations overshadow my dedication and passion for F1 Academy.”
She continued: “In the strongest possible terms, I reject these allegations.”
Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri has challenged his players to rectify the club’s wretched recent results against rivals Napoli to move top of the Serie A table.
Juve have lost five of their past seven league meetings with the reigning champions, including a 5-1 thrashing in January, but are favourites for Friday evening’s clash at Allianz Stadium.
The in-form Bianconeri sit second in the table and will climb above leaders Inter Milan for at least 24 hours by registering an 11th victory of the season.
Fifth-placed Napoli are struggling to mount a title defence and, having last month reappointed former boss Walter Mazzarri after sacking Rudi Garcia, slipped 11 points adrift of Inter following a 3-0 home loss to them on Sunday.
“Tomorrow will be very tough,” Allegri told a press conference.
“Napoli stayed in the game against Inter until the second goal and we’ve only beaten them once in our last seven meetings – that’s something we need to put right.
“They’re a dangerous side away from home and have picked up 17 points on the road already.”
Juventus are just two points behind Inter, with whom they drew 1-1 on November 26, following a nine-match unbeaten run.
Allegri wants a minimum of six points from Juve’s next five fixtures to ensure the club reach the halfway point of the campaign in a stronger position than last term.
“This is a six-pointer – we have five games left before we reach the midway point of the season and they’ll all be difficult,” said Allegri, whose side finished a disappointing 2022-23 campaign in seventh position.
“Our target is to finish the first half of the campaign with more points than we did last term, when we had 38.
“We hope to achieve our target but we mustn’t take it for granted.
“Part of this job involves dealing with the pressure but we have to remember the league doesn’t finish tomorrow. There’s still a long way to go.”
Mazzarri, who initially managed Napoli between 2009 and 2013, beat Atalanta 2-1 in the first match of his second spell before the resounding loss to Inter.
The 62-year-old hopes his team can kick-start a revival by beating one of their fiercest rivals.
“Juventus v Napoli is a match that we know well because of the special sensations it generates and the importance of two teams that have been protagonists of the championship in recent years,” he told a press conference.
“We are playing against an opponent who is doing very well and there is little to add about the depth of the match.
“We go there as Italian champions and we want to highlight the progress that the boys are making.
“If we look at the squads, I don’t think there is as much of a difference as the league table says. This is also true compared to Inter.
“Unfortunately in football there are also moments and this is not a brilliant period for Napoli, especially in relation to the great last season.
“In football sometimes it doesn’t take much to make a change, it’s a question of trust but also of luck.
“There are moments which are going badly but a positive episode can change the wind.”
Teenage leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed has shone for England in the Caribbean to such an extent that Adil Rashid’s absence has gone unnoticed, according to all-rounder Liam Livingstone.
Rashid is arguably the greatest white-ball bowler England have ever produced and, even though he has previously intimated he has many more years left, the double World Cup winner turns 36 in February.
He will be back for the T20 series against the Windies this month after being rested for the ODIs, but the hole left by the Yorkshireman has been filled seamlessly by Ahmed.
Ahmed is England’s youngest senior male player in all three formats and has furthered his blossoming reputation against the Windies by recording identical figures of 10-1-40-2 in two ODIs in Antigua.
Livingstone believes he is getting the rub of the 19-year-old’s reliability after taking three wickets with his own spin on Wednesday, where England’s win set up a series decider in Barbados on Saturday.
“The flexibility that we’ve got – Rehan has obviously come in and replaced Rash, we don’t even know that Rash isn’t here,” Livingstone said.
“Rehan’s been incredible for us, he’s an exceptional talent we’ve got coming through.
“What one of our strengths has been for years is the depth we have, not only in our batting but our bowling as well. As a spin department we’ll be happy with (the win).”
With Rashid out of the side and Moeen Ali likely to become a T20 specialist, Livingstone is now one of the senior players in the set-up and is keen to take more responsibility.
“Mo and Rash have been incredibly supportive and helpful of me bowling over the last couple of years,” the 30-year-old said.
“I guess it’s my turn to kind of take that over from them and maybe try and help Rehan and (fellow spinner Will) Jacks along the way.”
By his own estimation, Livingstone is currently a bowler who bats rather than the other way around as his runs have dried up since ending the English summer with a flourish against New Zealand.
Following a sparkling unbeaten 95 at the Ageas Bowl in September, the Cumbrian has a top-score of 28 in his last nine innings, while he averaged a paltry 10 in six knocks during England’s miserable World Cup.
Asked to pinpoint where he might be going wrong, Livingstone said: “If I had the reason I’d have probably changed it by now. I keep turning up to training, trying as hard as I can.
“I guess maybe just try to put a little bit less pressure on myself and go out and enjoy myself like I have done my whole career. It only takes one innings to change it around.
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“I’ve had it before and I’m sure when things do change around, I’ll look back on this time in my career as something that was probably a massive learning curve for me.”
Even if he is in a trough with what first brought him into England’s limited-overs sides, Livingstone is happy to provide an increasingly useful option with the ball.
“Being able to affect the game and getting key wickets for us at key times, is probably a little bit more satisfying than getting runs at certain times,” Livingstone added.
Gavin Sheehan could be set for another Saturday in the spotlight having successfully appealed the 14-day ban he received at Huntingdon last month.
The 31-year-old was riding Lucy Wadham’s Zain Nights when the raceday stewards deemed the jockey failed to ask his mount for a “timely, real and substantial effort to obtain the best possible placing”.
Zain Nights and Wadham also incurred the wrath of the stewards with the gelding receiving a 40-day ban and his handler fined £3,000 for schooling and conditioning the horse on a racecourse.
However, at a hearing on Thursday an independent panel ruled in favour of both Sheehan and Wadham with their respective punishments quashed.
“It was something I didn’t think was ever going to happen, I felt the ride was good on the day and everything,” said Sheehan.
“But, it’s come this far and I’m delighted that we got the right result.”
The result of the hearing allows Sheehan the chance to build on the brilliant season he is enjoying alongside trainer Jamie Snowden and having partnered the Folly House handler’s Datsalrightgino to a famous Coral Gold Cup victory last weekend, has another pair of high-class operators waiting in the wings at Sandown.
The Irishman can now look forward to linking up with his Cheltenham Festival heroine You Wear It Well as she challenges Constitution Hill in the rearranged Fighting Fifth Hurdle, while he will also take the reins aboard highly-touted novice chaser Colonel Harry in the Betfair Henry VIII Novices’ Chase.
“Obviously I had a brilliant weekend last weekend and I’m now hoping for another one this weekend,” continued Sheehan.
“Things are going great and Jamie is definitely a trainer that is progressing and all it is is getting better horses. Better horses make life easier and he’s got them.
“It’s exciting that we’ve got Datsalrightgino who has just come out and won the Coral Gold Cup, but now we’ve got a contender for the Fighting Fifth and the Henry VIII.
“Things are going well and I know better than anyone that this game is a rollercoaster and things are going great now, but you can get put back down pretty quick.
“I’m just enjoying it at the moment, that’s what I’m trying to do, and trying to keep the ball rolling. You can’t take the foot off the gas now. Last week was brilliant, but that’s in the past now and I have got to look forward to my one ride tomorrow and doing my best on that and then look forward to Saturday.”
Shaun Murphy hit the first 147 maximum break at the BetVictor Shoot Out as he blasted past Hungarian teenager Bulcsu Revesz into the second round in Swansea.
Revesz, 16, broke off in the quickfire tournament, where matches are played over one frame of 10 minutes’ duration, and hit the blue on the way back up the table.
Murphy, who won the world title in 2005, needed no second invitation, as he swiftly cleared up the reds and was about to take the blue into the top-right pocket when someone from the audience shouted “don’t bottle it now”.
The 41-year-old Englishman showed nerves of steel as he sank the blue off the cushion, before coming back for the perfect angle off the pink and onto the black, which he rolled in the bottom left pocket with two minutes and 26 seconds of the frame left.
The previous best break in the competition was Mark Allen with 142.
Speaking to Eurosport after his victory, Murphy said: “On the (final) blue a fella shouted out ‘don’t bottle it’. Goodness me, my heart’s going. It was great fun.
“I love the event and can’t believe what’s just happened. It was a real buzz. You get excited out there playing this event, win or lose.
“I’ve done both, played really nicely and really badly, but for the fans here, they’ve seen something special, it was a pleasure to play for them.”
Elsewhere in Thursday’s first-round action in Swansea, Mark Joyce ended the hopes of Rebecca Kenna, amateur Steven Hallworth knocked out Welshman Jamie Jones, while 16-year-old Jack Borwick beat Adam Duffy for a maiden professional victory.
World Championship semi-finalist Si Jiahui defeated Liam Highfield to secure his place in the second round and 17-year-old Stan Moody saw off Rory McLeod to also progress to the last 64.
Oisin Murphy still hopes to “one day” ride over hurdles – but following the abandonment of Wincanton on Thursday he has nothing lined up in the foreseeable future.
The three-times champion Flat jockey was due to have his first spin over obstacles aboard the Cian Collins-trained Lets Do This in the Danny McNab Bookmakers “National Hunt” Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at the Somerset track.
However, the fixture was called off following significant rain, with clerk of the course Daniel Cooper able to make a decision well ahead of the planned 8am inspection.
As part of his Flat commitments, Murphy is due to head for a stint in America on December 22.
“Unfortunately I don’t have any plans to ride over jumps after today. It will be difficult now with my schedule. One day!” said Murphy.
Cooper is also clerk at Exeter, where Friday’s planned card fell victim to a waterlogged track.
Sunday’s card at Huntingdon, which is scheduled to feature the Grade Two Peterborough Chase, is subject to a further precautionary inspection at 7.30am on Friday after passing an initial check on Thursday.
Friday’s Sedgefield card and Saturday’s meeting at Wetherby have both been lost to waterlogging, with the British Horseracing Authority adding an additional all-weather card at Wolverhampton on Sunday.
Kevin Sinfield has completed his latest energy-sapping fundraising challenge to help people living with motor neurone disease.
The 43-year-old former rugby league star crossed the finishing line to a rapturous welcome on The Mall in London on Thursday afternoon after running seven ultra marathons in seven different cities in as many days, once again inspired by former team-mate Rob Burrow’s MND diagnosis.
Shortly afterwards, he told the gathered crowd: “You all know why we’re here. Hopefully we’ve sent the right message out. The MND community is a beautiful community and it needs al of us to keep fighting. The awareness we have generated this week has been enormous again in Rob’s name.
“Fundraising is so important. We tried to push this morning how important the money is because that’s the thing that’s going to shift the dial for us. That’s the thing that’s going to get us a cure.
“It’s also the thing that’s going to make sure families are looked after properly, If there’s one thing you leave today with today from our team, it’s that.”
Sinfield and his team took to the roads once again to raise awareness of MND and funds for five charities supporting people affected by the condition and their families, and also to fund research into effective treatments and ultimately a cure.
Each leg has comprised 27 miles – the conventional marathon distance with an extra mile added to signify how much further people can go to help friends in need – with the aim being to complete it in under four hours.
Thursday’s course took the team from Twickenham to Africa Gate on The Mall via Hyde Park, Bond Street, Regent Street, Leicester Square, Tower Bridge, Parliament Square and Trafalgar Square with former England cricketer Stuart Broad and Rugby World Cup winner Will Greenwood among the guests who joined them.
Their target was to raise £777,777 to help around 5,000 people currently living with MND in the United Kingdom, among them Burrow, ex-Gloucester and Leicester forward Ed Slater, former professional footballers Marcus Stewart and Stephen Darby, with the late Doddie Weir, who died at the age of 52 in November last year almost six years after being diagnosed with MND, another inspiration.
As Sinfield untied his shoelaces, the total had passed the £630,000 mark with more than £94,000 pledged in Gift Aid.
The former Leeds Rhinos, England and Great Britain rugby league loose forward, who is currently defence coach for England’s rugby union team, has spearheaded a campaign which has already raised more than £8million.
He and his team set off from Twickenham at 12pm on Thursday having already completed 27-mile routes in Leeds, Cardiff, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Dublin and Brighton.
Speaking before embarking on the final leg of his gruelling challenge, Sinfield told BBC Breakfast: “What’s been really important this week again is the awareness that’s been generated, but as we’ve seen, it’s the money that’s going to make the difference.
“Every spare bit that anybody’s got. if they can donate, it would be much appreciated because these people really need us.
“Yes, we’re alright running, but running doesn’t find a cure, it’s the money that does so if you can donate, please do.”
Proceeds from Sinfield’s latest initiative will go to mainly to the MND Association and Leeds Hospitals Charity appeal to build the Rob Burrow MND centre in the city, but there will also be donations to the My Name’5 Doddie, the Irish MND Association, the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation and support for the 4ED campaign.
:: To donate to Kevin Sinfield’s 7 in 7 in 7 quest, see https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/kevin-sinfield
A festive outing at Ascot is next on the agenda for Hansard following his coming-of-age victory at Newbury.
A bumper winner in Ireland for Charles O’Brien, the five-year-old was subsequently snapped up for 48,000 to join Noel Fehily Racing Syndicates and was sent to Gary Moore.
He won his first two starts over hurdles for his new connections last winter, finished fourth in a Grade One at Aintree in the spring and finished second to a race-fit Rubaud on his seasonal reappearance in the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton last month.
Making his handicap debut in the Gerry Feilden at Newbury, Hansard showed his class to get back on the winning trail and is now being readied for the £150,000 Betfair Exchange Trophy on December 23.
Fehily said: “We were delighted with Hansard in Newbury the other day. I think riding him for speed in a fast-run handicap suited him.
“We were probably a bit disappointed after Wincanton, but he hasn’t had that much racing and I think he’s just learning to settle and learning to do his job properly, hopefully.
“We’re looking towards Ascot with him just before Christmas.”
Another horse who will look to carry the colours of the successful ownership group to big-race honours over the Christmas period is the Fergal O’Brien-trained Kamsinas.
Having landed the Grade Two Newton Novices’ Hurdle on his latest start, the six-year-old is poised for a Grade One bid in the newly-named Formby Novices’ Hurdle – formerly the Tolworth – which for the first time will take place at Aintree on Boxing Day.
“That is probably the plan. He’s come out of the race at Haydock really well, so we’re probably looking at going to Aintree with him,” Fehily added.
“We were delighted with him the other day and Aintree should suit him well, I’d say.
“He’s an improving horse, so hopefully there’s more to come from him.”
Insurrection bids to provide trainer Paul Nicholls with back-to-back victories in the Betfair Beacons Winter Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown on Friday.
The champion trainer plundered the Grade Two prize with Henri The Second 12 months ago and will have high hopes of striking gold once more with a horse who looked an exciting prospect when making a successful hurdling debut at Exeter last month.
The six-year-old won in the Irish point-to-point field before being snapped up to join the Noel Fehily Racing ownership group – and the former jockey is looking forward to seeing how he fares at a higher level.
“He won well at Exeter, we were very happy with him there, so we’ll step him up in class at Sandown and see how we get on,” said Fehily.
“We liked him a lot going to Exeter. We probably didn’t expect him to win in the fashion he did, but we were very happy to see him go and do what he did.
“The step up in trip (to two and a half miles) won’t do him any harm, I think. I’m not sure about the slower ground, but we won’t know until we run him in it.”
Insurrection is opposed by four rivals, all of whom also won on their most recent starts.
Dan and Harry Skelton team up with Deafening Silence, who like the Nicholls runner impressed at Exeter four weeks ago, while the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Josh The Boss is two from two over timber following victories at Warwick and Aintree.
Southoftheborder was bought for £145,000 after winning an Irish point-to-point and has since struck gold in a Ffos Las bumper and a maiden hurdle at Sandown for Nicky Henderson.
“He’s already won around Sandown and it was pretty soft that day,” said Henderson.
“He’s a lovely horse – he’s won a point-to-point, a bumper and his maiden hurdle but this might be very soft ground, it’s going to be horrible but we may as well find out if he handles it.”
Completing the small but select field is Personal Ambition, who won on his introduction at Warwick for Ben Pauling.
Nicky Henderson will be monitoring the situation at Sandown ahead of the rearranged Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle in which Constitution Hill is set to make his seasonal reappearance.
The race was frozen off last weekend at its usual home of Newcastle but swiftly rescheduled for Saturday’s Tingle Creek card.
With Jonbon already odds-on for that Grade One, Henderson then added another of his stable stars to the Esher cast when confirming that Shishkin, not long ago the number one attraction at Seven Barrows, would have his prep for the King George in the Fighting Fifth after refusing to start at Ascot last month.
However, as ever the British weather is doing its bit to put a spanner in the works and while the meeting at Sandown is not in any apparent doubt, the going on the hurdles track is already soft, heavy in places with plenty more rain forecast over the next 48 hours.
“It’s going to be horrible ground and it’s going to make everything very tricky,” said Henderson.
“We’ll just have to wait and see how it all pans out tomorrow and we’ll be monitoring the situation closely.
“He’s declared so obviously we want to run him but it is close to the Christmas Hurdle, so it just might not be in his best interests.
“We all want to run, I just want to warn people that we will be assessing the conditions and I cannot guarantee that everything will take part on Saturday.
“The others are intended runners at this stage. Willmount is in the first race (Claremont Novices’ Hurdle) and he’s never run on heavy, so we need to find out if he handles this ground.
“As for Jonbon, we’ve always felt he was at his best on better ground, but he has won on soft and I’m pretty sure we’ve got stamina in our pocket.”
At present Nico de Boinville will be riding Constitution Hill leaving his understudy at Henderson’s yard, James Bowen, to come in for the ride on Shishkin.
The multiple Grade One winner was last seen planting himself at the start in the 1965 Chase at Ascot, and was denied a subsequent outing in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle on the Fighting Fifth card.
“I’m really excited to be riding Shishkin and it is an honour to ride him,” said Bowen.
“I didn’t know I was definitely on him until the declarations today as there was a chance I could have gone to Aintree, but it has ended up working out well for me.
“I’ve ridden a few nice horses, but he would be by far the best horse that I’ve ever ridden in a race. It is great they have rescheduled the race, and it is great to be part of it.
“I’m not saying he is going to go and win, but hopefully he can run a good race to get his season up and running after what happened at Ascot.
“This was not Plan A or Plan B. It is a case of it being Plan C, but it is a good stepping stone for him and his targets later on in the season.”
Jonbon is odds-on for the Tingle Creek in which he will face four rivals – Boothill, Edwardstone, Haddex Des Obeaux and Nube Negra.
Also on the Esher menu is the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase, where the Joe Tizzard-trained JPR One bids to atone for an unfortunate mishap at Cheltenham last month.
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