Gordon Elliot has stressed “everything is open” for Gerri Colombe as bookmakers took evasive action anticipating a Boxing Day appearance in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase.

Following his winning return at Down Royal, Elliott had mentioned Leopardstown’s festive feature, the Savills Chase, or the Cotswold Chase on Cheltenham’s Festival Trials Day card would be the destination for the next step on the seven-year-old’s path to the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

But with both defending champion Bravemansgame and Nicky Henderson’s Shishkin fluffing their lines at Haydock and Ascot respectively over the weekend, the Cullentra House handler sent the King George market spinning when briefly suggesting a trip to Kempton was possible in an interview following the victory of Imagine at Punchestown on Sunday.

Gerri Colombe has since attracted significant support in the King George market, usurping Bravemansgame as the favourite with some layers.

However, speaking to the PA news agency on Monday, Elliott confirmed no decision has been made yet, with conditions nearer the time set to determine Gerri Colombe’s next move.

“Everything is still kind of up in the air and everything is open,” said Elliott.

“We’ve got the King George, Leopardstown and the race at Cheltenham. There’s no decision made, we will just wait to see what the ground is and make a decision nearer the time.

“We won’t know for two weeks what we are doing.”

When asked if the drama-filled events over the weekend make saddling a first King George runner since Don Cossack in 2015 more tempting, Elliott added: “To be honest, I just worry about my own horse, I don’t worry about anyone else.”

Don Cossack was a late faller when sent off 15-8 favourite for Kempton’s Christmas showpiece that year, before going on to taste Gold Cup glory the following March.

And the Robcour-owned Gerri Colombe is also currently disputing favouritism with Willie Mullins’ Galopin Des Champs at the head of the Gold Cup betting.

AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli says his players can take inspiration from tennis star Jannik Sinner and Italy’s Davis Cup-winning team.

Pioli’s side will bid to keep their Champions League last-16 hopes alive on Tuesday when they face Borussia Dortmund in their penultimate Group F match.

Rossoneri fan Sinner led Italy to their first Davis Cup triumph in 47 years in Malaga at the weekend and Pioli hopes the world number four will be at the San Siro to cheer his side on.

Pioli told a press conference: “He’s an inspirational figure due to his determination, his talent, his quality, his mentality and his desire to win every single point.

“If Jannik attends, we’ll be happy. In the meantime, I’d like to congratulate him, the Italy Davis Cup team and the captain, (Filippo) Volandri.”

Pioli described his side’s clash with Dortmund, against whom they drew 0-0 on the road in October, as a “turning point” in the group.

Milan sit third with two games remaining, two points behind leaders Dortmund, after beating Paris St Germain 2-1 at home in their previous group match, while all four sides – Newcastle being the other club – can still qualify for the knockout phase.

Pioli, whose side are third in Serie A, six points behind leaders Inter after Saturday’s 1-0 home win against Fiorentina, added: “It’s a very important game, a turning point in the group.

“We know all about our opponents, who are a strong side and can cause problems.

“However, they can come into difficulties, too. We’ll need to be attentive throughout the 95 minutes and understand when to close them down when we’re out of possession.

“When we have the ball, we’ll have to try and take up the right positions and find the right spaces.”

Dortmund remain in pole position to qualify from the group. After losing their opening game to PSG 2-0 they were held 0-0 at home by Milan before back-to-back wins against Newcastle.

The German club’s sporting director Sebastian Kehl told a press conference: “We know the table and of course you look at what is still possible in this group. We know what awaits us.

“Milan showed in their home match against PSG that they can be very strong. It will be a close one. But the opportunity to qualify for the round of 16 will be in our own hands in both upcoming group games. We’ll go there with that in mind.”

Stuart Crawford hopes there is more improvement to come from smart Haydock winner Park Annonciade.

The five-year-old began his hurdling career in the summer with two encouraging efforts at Sligo and Perth, missing out by just three quarters of a length on debut and then winning well next time out.

He returned in autumn after a short break and quickly regained the winning thread with an Ayr success that led him to Haydock on Saturday, where he carried bottom weight, which was assisted further by 5lb claimer Ben Bromley.

The same trainer and owners, Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, were also represented in the race by Carnfunnock, but it was his less experienced stablemate who swept to a two-and-three-quarter-length victory as the 3-1 joint-favourite.

“We probably fancied the other horse more but he was just a bit rusty with his jumping on his first run of the season,” Crawford said.

“Park Annonciade had the advantage of a few runs, he’s been on the go over the summer and the drying ground was a big plus for him and he took advantage of being at the bottom of the weights.

“It was good that we could win with one runner anyway!”

The race was a step up to two miles and three furlongs for Park Annonciade and while Crawford predicts he will stay further in time, he is happy to move up only incrementally in the immediate future.

“Eventually, I imagine he’d be a horse that will run over a trip at some point in time but two, two and half miles at this stage will be far enough for him,” he said.

“I don’t know what the handicapper is going to do with him after that but he’s still going to struggle to get into the better races with the mark he’ll be on.

“We’ll let him progress, he’s a horse that has improved with racing and he’s taken a wee bit of time to come to himself, so hopefully there’s another day in him at some point.”

Of plans for Carnfunnock, the trainer added: “I imagine we’ll go for a similar type of race again, he was the one we were really going there for but it didn’t work out on the day for him.

“He’s come out of the run well and we’ll look for something a bit closer to Christmas.”

Travis Kelce made NFL history as the Kansas City Chiefs recorded an entertaining victory in Week 12.

The Chiefs fought back from 14-0 behind to win 31-17 at the Las Vegas Raiders, improving their 2023 record to 8-3.

Kelce hauled in six catches for 91 yards to help launch the comeback, with Rashee Rice adding eight receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown.

Sunday's game saw Kelce become the fastest tight end to reach 11,000 receiving yards in NFL history, achieving the feat in 154 games.

The 34-year-old only needed 15 yards to reach the landmark and comfortably passed that in Las Vegas, taking his career total up to 11,076.

Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez held the previous fastest mark after hitting 11,000 after 191 games.

Kelce is only the fourth tight end ever to reach the total. He still has a while to go to catch Gonzalez (15,127) in yardage, but is moving ever closer to Jason Witten (13.036) and Antonio Gates (11,841) in the TE standings.

"We went down 14 points, and it's a tough thing to come back from that," said Chiefs coach Andy Reid.

"Our guys battled back, and I'm proud of them for that."

A prime-time matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field is up next for the Chiefs, who are top of the AFC West as they look to repeat as Super Bowl champions. The Denver Broncos (6-5) are their closest challengers in the division.

Frank Reich didn't even make it to December in his first season as coach of the Carolina Panthers.

The Panthers announced on Monday that Reich has been fired.

"I met with Coach Reich this morning and informed him that he will not continue as head coach of the Carolina Panthers," team owner David Tepper said in a statement. "I want to thank Frank for his dedication and service, and we wish him well."

Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor takes over as interim coach, while offensive coordinator Thomas Brown will be in charge of play-calling.

The decision came one day after a 17-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans dropped the NFL-worst Panthers to 1-10.

The 61-year-old Reich, who coached the Indianapolis Colts from 2018-2022, was hired in January to help improve the offense, but the team is struggling to score points and No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young isn't playing well.

Carolina is 30th in total offence with an average of 265.9 yards per game and has scored 10 points in each of its last two contests and 15 or fewer in each of its last five.

Young has not topped 200 yards passing in each of the last four games, and has thrown for 1,877 yards with nine touchdowns and eight interceptions for a 74.9 QB rating in his first 10 games.

The Panthers passed on C.J. Stroud and selected Young first in April's draft after trading wide receiver D.J. Moore and four draft picks - including their first-round pick in next year's draft - to the Chicago Bears for the top pick.

This is the second year in a row the Panthers fired their coach mid-season after Tepper fired Matt Rhule last October after a 1-4 start.

Carolina will finish with a losing record for a sixth straight season since Tepper bought the franchise in 2018 for $2.275million.

A late call will be made on Buddy One’s participation in Sunday’s Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse, with Leopardstown’s Jack de Bromhead Christmas Hurdle also an option for Paul Gilligan’s thriving hurdler.

Third to Iroko at the Cheltenham Festival in March before also going close at Aintree the following month, the six-year-old has continued to catch the eye in his recent outings, following up a taking victory at Galway by successfully stepping up to three miles at Cheltenham recently.

Having scored at Prestbury Park off a mark of 147, Gilligan believes Buddy One has done enough to warrant a shot in the big leagues and is preparing his progressive performer for Grade One action at either Fairyhouse this weekend or Leopardstown over the festive period.

“He’s 100 per cent and came out of his race at Cheltenham very, very well,” said Gilligan.

“Fairyhouse is still in the mix, we’re not 100 per cent sure yet. We’ll make a final decision Friday morning and it’s not finalised, but we’re hoping to go.

“It looks a race that may cut up between just Willie (Mullins) and Gordon (Elliott) and John (McConnell) might go as well. I would like to run him in it, but we will see closer to the weekend.

“The only reason he may not go there is it is only two weeks since Cheltenham and if he doesn’t go there, he will go for the Christmas Hurdle (at Leopardstown).”

Buddy One will have to take on some of the best hurdlers in Ireland wherever he makes his next start and his handler is well aware another career best may be required from his in-form gelding to make his mark in esteemed company.

“No matter where he goes now, he will be at the level where he will be taking on all these good horses,” continued Gilligan. “We’re at the level now where we can’t be skipping or avoiding.

“It’s great to have a horse like him and he was really good at Cheltenham I think, but he has got to step up if he is taking on horses like Willie’s Impaire Et Passe and Gordon’s Irish Point.

“We’re aware of that and it is not just a walk in the park now, he has to step up and hopefully he will do.”

Jockey Ray Dawson has been banned for six months after failing a drugs test at Bath on August 19.

The 30-year-old has a history of addiction problems and tested positive for cocaine after a drink and drug binge the previous night.

He has not ridden since August 24 and his suspension will be backdated until September 1.

Dawson appeared before a British Horseracing Authority Disciplinary panel on Monday, when he admitted he had relapsed one night, having spent the majority of the previous five years sober.

He enjoyed his best year in 2022 with 64 winners, which included Group Two victories in the Lowther on Zain Claudette and the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes on subsequent 1000 Guineas winner Mawj.

Paul Nolan says there will be no more ground excuses for Joyeux Machin as he contemplates a step up to Grade One company at Leopardstown over the Christmas period.

A two-time winner over hurdles last term, he has already banked plenty of chasing experience, racing four times over the larger obstacles and going close in a competitive Listed heat at Wexford earlier this month, where he found just Gordon Elliott’s Minella Crooner too good.

The six-year-old holds an entry for the Neville Hotels Novice Chase on December 29 and his handler believes he can no longer use deep ground as an excuse, having gone so close in testing conditions on his most recent outing.

“We looked a bit stupid the last day because we ran him on heavy ground,” said Nolan.

“After his two ‘PUs’ on heavy ground before and on the gallops after working him on heavy ground, it was basically a finding out mission (at Wexford) and we can’t blame ground anymore after his performance the other day, when I thought he was very unlucky and just missed the last.

“He was getting weight off the winner and on ratings he wasn’t too far wrong with the winner. There’s no point getting too carried away, but I definitely won’t be blaming ground anymore.”

Joyeux Machin’s long-term future appears to be over the larger obstacles, with Nolan having the trip to Dublin at Christmas at the forefront of his mind.

However, the handler would be open to reverting to hurdles if the opportunity presented itself, with a confidence boosting victory over timber seen as the perfect way to tee-up Joyeux Machin for his big-race festive assignment.

“I wouldn’t mind mixing things up with him,” continued Nolan. “We had him on the go during the summer for a couple of races and we won’t run him too often. His aim will be at Christmas where he is entered in the Grade One and we’ll see where we go.

“If there was a hurdle race in between that we thought may suit him, then I would love to win with him – and on that basis, if we have a look at the programme and there was a conditions hurdle that came up and he was in at a lovely weight, then I would have no problem going back over hurdles with him.

“We’ll have a chat with the owners and see what we do, but the Grade One will come under serious consideration, with the strong chance that Leopardstown won’t be that deep.”

The Champions League’s penultimate round of fixtures take place this week with 10 round-of-16 places still up for grabs.

Holders Manchester City are already through and Arsenal can seal their place in the knockout stages, but Manchester United and Newcastle have plenty to do, while Celtic are bidding for their first group win.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at each of the British clubs’ matchday five opponents.

Lazio v Celtic (Tuesday)

Lazio will qualify for the knockout phase as Group E runners-up with victory against Celtic at the Olympic Stadium in Rome if Feyenoord lose at home to leaders Atletico Madrid.

Maurizio Sarri’s side will be looking to bounce back from last Saturday’s shock Serie A defeat to bottom club Salernitana by reaching the knockout stages for the second time in three seasons, having lost to Bayern Munich 6-2 on aggregate in the last 16 in 2020-21.

Pedro’s stoppage-time goal at Celtic Park in October snatched Lazio a 2-1 win on matchday two, while their only group defeat this season was a 3-1 loss at Feyenoord last month.

Lazio qualified for the Champions League by finishing runners-up to Napoli in Serie A last season, but have struggled to maintain their domestic form in this campaign, losing six of their 13 games to sit 11th in the table.

Paris St Germain v Newcastle (Tuesday)

Paris St Germain can secure their place in the last 16 for a 12th successive season if results go their way in Group F on matchday five.

Should the French champions avenge their humbling 4-1 defeat to Newcastle at St James’ Park in October with victory in the return at the Parc des Princes and Borussia Dortmund beat AC Milan in Italy, the Parisiens will go through.

But with all four group rivals still harbouring hopes of reaching the knockout stage with two games to play, it could all go down to the final round of matches.

Luis Enrique’s side have recovered from an indifferent start to their domestic season, winning seven of their last eight matches and last Friday’s 5-2 home win against Monaco kept them top of Ligue 1.

Manchester City v Leipzig (Tuesday)

Leipzig joined City as one of the first two sides to reach the knockout phase this season after winning 2-1 on the road against Red Star Belgrade in their previous Group G match.

The Germans’ only group defeat this season came last month against City, who won 3-1 at the Red Bull Arena, while victories over Red Star (twice) and Young Boys have left them a comfortable second in the table.

Leipzig secured Champions League football for a fifth straight year by finishing third in the Bundesliga last season behind champions Bayern Munich and Dortmund.

Marco Rose’s side have lost two of their last three domestic league games and currently sit fifth, while they have lost heavily on their last two visits to the Etihad Stadium, 6-3 in 2021 and 7-0 in March when Erling Haaland scored five goals.

Galatasaray v Manchester United (Wednesday)

Galatasaray will give their hopes of reaching the last 16 for the first time in 10 years a major boost if they can beat United for a second time in Group A this season.

The Turkish champions twice fought back to win 3-2 at Old Trafford in October thanks to Mauro Icardi’s late winner and currently sit third behind runaway leaders Bayern Munich, level on points with Copenhagen and a point better off than United.

Galatasaray won five and drew one of their six qualifying round matches before being drawn into Group A and while they have lost both group games to Bayern, they have also drawn with Copenhagen.

Okan Buruk led Galatasaray to a 23rd Super Lig title last season and his side currently sit second behind arch-rivals Fenerbahce on goal difference after losing only one of their first 13 domestic league matches.

Arsenal v Lens (Wednesday)

Lens, playing Champions League football for the third time, are still in the hunt to secure their first-ever slot in the round of 16.

Their 2-1 home win against Arsenal in October was sandwiched by 1-1 draws against both Sevilla and PSV Eindhoven and although the Gunners are four points clear at the top of Group B, any one of four teams can still qualify.

Lens, who were playing in Ligue 2 only three years ago, secured their place in this year’s Champions League with an impressive second-placed finish in Ligue 1, just a point behind PSG.

Franck Haise’s side failed to win any of their first five Ligue 1 games this season, losing four of them, but have since remained unbeaten and back-to-back wins in their last two domestic matches have lifted them up to sixth spot.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola believes it is crucial the team and the fans continue to feed off each other’s energy.

Guardiola feels that after his players provided the initial spark last season, it was the power of supporters that propelled City towards their treble success.

“The stadium is all the time full and we have to play as best as possible and create as much as possible to energise and make our people with us,” said Guardiola at a press conference.

“I have the feeling the team is playing really good and these guys – what they have done for many, many years, we love doing it together.

“The games last season – semi-finals, quarter-finals, important games like against Arsenal when we played for the Premier League, they were there like animals and we need that.

“In my humble opinion, to be successful we need our fans, all the time, being here. Thank you for coming, because without that it is impossible. Together we are stronger.

“It is much better for ourselves to feel that they are there. We play better but we have to do the first steps, the first gesture. We have to do it.”

City host German side RB Leipzig on Tuesday needing just a draw to wrap up top spot in Champions League Group G.

The holders have won the first four matches of their title defence and have already secured a place in the knockout stages, as have Leipzig – a side they thrashed 7-0 at home last season.

Guardiola said: “Of course the first step is done for both sides – so congratulations to Leipzig – to qualify for the next round in February.

“But it is important to finish first for prestige, for everything. We believe that when we play the last 16, having the second leg at home is not decisive but is a little bit of an advantage and we have to take it.”

Midfielder Jack Grealish is unlikely to return after illness while Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes are nursing knocks.

Guardiola said: “I’m not much optimistic about good news about some people coming back but we will see. I think it will be the same people who played against Liverpool.”

Defender John Stones was an unused substitute at the weekend but while Guardiola said he was “really, really close” he was “not ready for playing”.

Kevin De Bruyne, who has been out since undergoing hamstring surgery in August, said over the weekend he hopes to return to action early in the new year.

Guardiola said: “If he said January, it will be January. I would have loved to have him all season but now he has had a tough injury and surgery. He has to recover well.

“He’s said end of December, new year, so it will be a happy new year for everyone.”

Luis Enrique has warned Paris St Germain to prepare for a Newcastle onslaught as the sides go head-to-head in Champions League Group F on Tuesday night.

Enrique put the finishing touches to his plan to gain revenge for his side’s 4-1 defeat at St James’ Park in October at a rain-soaked Poissy on Monday morning having paid keen attention to the Magpies’ Premier League demolition of Chelsea.

Eddie Howe’s men were missing 13 senior players on Saturday but still surged to a 4-1 win with a display which impressed the PSG boss.

Enrique said: “If you saw the last match against Chelsea, physically it’s really incredible. Six players are putting on so much pressure, they can pressurise eight players at the same time.

“This intensity in their game and this pressure is something that we need to be prepared for.”

The reigning Ligue 1 champions were soundly beaten on Tyneside as goals from Miguel Almiron, Dan Burn, Sean Longstaff and Fabian Schar threw the group wide open.

However, Enrique’s men go into their penultimate fixture knowing a win could see them through to the knockout stage and while he is understandably wary of Newcastle, that is his focus.

He said: “The competition could be really short, it is a very complicated group and the ranking is really close, as you see.

“It’s true that now every game is decisive, it’s knockout style. Two teams could be qualified already tomorrow night depending on the results, so until the last day, we don’t know.

“I’m sure that my team is ready, though, ready to play, to be competitive on the pitch and that’s what we’ve been proving throughout the entire season.”

PSG have lost only once in all competitions since their horror show at St James’ – at AC Milan in their last European outing – and trounced Monaco 5-2 on Friday evening.

However, Portuguese midfielder Vitinha admits there is a score to settle against the English club.

Vitinha said: “We spoke after that match. We knew it was not a great result for us, of course. That was a very tough game and we know it’s another tough game tomorrow night awaiting us, but we still want to win.

“Maybe we have that little revenge feeling, but that stays inside us. Tomorrow is going to be a show and that we win, that’s the most important thing.

“We know it’s possible to qualify as fast as tomorrow, but we’re just trying to focus on this match and only on this match because the only way for us to qualify is to win, so that is what we are trying to focus on.

“We have to respect what the coach is asking of us and try to do everything to win this match and have a good standing in this group.”

Max Verstappen admitted he was left feeling emotional after bidding farewell to the Red Bull machine that carried him to the most dominant Formula One season ever seen.

Verstappen ended his crushing championship campaign with his 19th win of the year in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, becoming the first driver to lead 1,000 laps in a single season.

The all-conquering Dutchman has won 17 of the last 18 races – which included a record streak of 10 straight victories – and wrapped up his third successive world title with six rounds to spare.

He failed to win on just three occasions, out-scoring Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull by 290 points – the equivalent of nearly 12 Grand Prix victories.

“It has been an incredible season and I was emotional on the in-lap back to the pits because it was the last time I will sit in a car which has given me so much,” said the 26-year-old.

“It will be very hard to have another season like this and we know that. Of course, you always want to do better and we are working hard for next year to have a very competitive car.

“All the other teams out there want to try and beat us next year, but we are ready for the battle.”

Verstappen is under contract with Red Bull until 2028 and, without a major regulation change until 2026, he could be untouchable for the next two seasons.

His 54th career win at the Yas Marina Circuit moved him to a standalone third in the all-time list, with only Lewis Hamilton’s 103 wins and Michael Schumacher, on 91 now, ahead of him.

Red Bull only failed to complete a perfect season following one off-colour weekend in Singapore.

“To win 21 out of 22 races is insanity,” said Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.

“For Max to have led over 1000 laps out of 1300, to win 19 races and break so many records along the way, this car will go down in history for a considerable point of time as the most successful in Formula One.

“But nothing stands still in this sport and I am sure concepts will converge, and stable regulations will concertina the grid, so I don’t think we will ever be able to repeat the season we have just had.”

Following a mammoth nine-month campaign, Verstappen will open his bid for a fourth consecutive title in Bahrain in 96 days.

Barcelona manager Xavi insists he has full faith in his team and coaching staff as they look to produce “one of those magical nights” to secure a place in the Champions League knockout stages.

Porto head to the Estadi de Montjuic on Tuesday night level on points with Barca at the top of Group H.

After missing the opportunity to book a safe passage into the last 16 when beaten 1-0 away to Shakhtar Donetsk before the international break, Xavi’s side returned to domestic action with a 1-1 draw at Rayo Vallecano – where Florian Lejeune’s late own goal rescued a point.

Following on from defeat in El Clasico, the pressure continues to mount on Xavi and his team, who now sit fourth in LaLiga.

Xavi, though, maintains there is no sense of a crisis in the camp.

“We have to keep working to get our game back, that is Barca,” Xavi said. “It is pressure, but for me nothing has changed. We have to plan games well to compete as best we can.

“I have blind faith in my team and my coaching staff. We are a unit and for that reason I think things will work out.”

Xavi told a press conference: “We are going into the game really motivated, in front of our own fans and let’s hope it is a magical night.

“It is an important test for us. We have to be self-critical and say lately we have not played how we have wanted to, but we are on the right path.

“It is a great opportunity for it to be a turning. We have to change our mentality and be a competitive beast. We have to go after the game from the off.”

Barcelona defender Joao Cancelo is confident the players have what it take to rally round and produce the required display against Porto, having battled to a 1-0 win when they met at the Estadio do Dragao in October.

“We know how important this game is for us, as a team and as a club,” Cancelo said. “We could have qualified against Shakhtar.

“It has been a difficult month. We have a very young team, but with a lot of quality.

“So let’s go out there and try to improve the situation.”

Barcelona will again check on goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who missed the draw against Rayo Vallecano with a back problem.

Porto come into Tuesday night’s game having beaten third tier Montalegre 4-0 in the Portuguese Cup last Friday night.

Veteran defender Pepe continues to be assessed with a thigh problem which ruled him out of Portugal’s squad for the final two Euro 2024 qualifiers and also the domestic cup fixture.