Australia manager Graham Arnold reiterated Ange Postecoglou’s message for his side to beat England for “the kids and the nation” ahead of the first ever meeting between the countries at Wembley.

Arnold brought in Spurs boss Postecoglou and his fellow former Australia head coach Guus Hiddink in a bid to inspire the Socceroos ahead of Friday’s friendly in London.

Australia are underdogs going into the encounter, having only beaten England once in seven meetings – a 3-1 triumph at Upton Park in 2003 – and sitting 23 spots below their fourth-placed hosts in the FIFA world rankings, but Arnold says his side will only have victory on their minds when they take the pitch.

He said: “The speeches that Ange said yesterday were very similar about what we’ve been saying for years with doing it for the kids in Australia, the nation and your family and people who are close by and the supporters.

“I know one thing is that they (the players) will run until they drop, the energy will be there and they’ll put in the performance of their lives.

“I have got a special relationship with both (Postecoglou and Hiddink). I’ve known Ange for 40 odd years, I’ve played and coached against him, worked with him and we’ve had a great connection for years.

“With Guus, he’s pretty much a mentor to me and like a brother, a father. I’ve got to be careful with what I say because he’s not that old but he’s always been a great man to me and I worked with him during the 2006 World Cup as his assistant.

“We aim to win. We’re not going out there to lose or draw the game, we’re going out there to win the game.

“It’s the culture that we bring. We’ve seen the Socceroos and the Matildas (Australia women’s team) bring the nation together and this is not my team, it’s the nation’s team.”

While Australia are looking to make history at Wembley, Arnold highlighted some of the challenges he says they face trying to grow the game back home.

Despite the successful co-hosting of the Women’s World Cup this summer, where the Matildas got to the semi-finals, Arnold says the infrastructure and support they receive pales in comparison to other sports Down Under, or that England enjoy.

“We don’t get anywhere near the help and resources (of Australian rules football),” Arnold said.

“We see the Prime Minister and the government say they love coming out to watch the Socceroos and Matildas with scarves on but they must lose them when they go home.

“We don’t have a home of football. Whether you believe that or not, we don’t have a home.

“When the Socceroos come to Sydney to train, we have to go to a rugby league field where they remove the posts and put soccer posts up. That’s the truth.

“We are the highest participated sport at grassroots (in Australia). The last four days England have been at St George’s Park and they come down to (Wembley) where they are inspired and have a culture, we don’t have anything like that.

“After the World Cup I said ‘hopefully this will make things change’ and that government funding will help inspire the kid’s lives and fulfil their dreams.”

Australia’s most recent meeting with England saw the home side claim a 2-1 win at the Stadium of Light in 2016, when an 18-year-old Marcus Rashford because the youngest player to score on his England debut.

Roy Hodgson was in charge of England for that match but Arnold, who took charge in 2018, is looking forward to pitting his wits against the present incumbent Gareth Southgate.

Arnold said: “England are a fantastic team and Gareth Southgate is a great coach, a wonderful man and I look forward to seeing him tomorrow night.

“We are very appreciative of the invitation to play here and we’re looking forward to the match.”

Wayne Rooney has emphasised how much he is relishing the challenge he has taken on as boss of a Birmingham outfit with sights very much set on the Premier League.

The former England captain was appointed as Blues’ new manager on Wednesday on a three-and-a-half year deal after leaving DC United last weekend.

That was two days on from the Midlands club, who were taken over by US-based Shelby Companies Limited in July and had seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady become a minority owner the following month, sacking boss John Eustace while lying sixth in the Championship table.

Rooney returns to management in his home country having previously been in charge at Derby from 2020 to 2022, and he told a press conference at St Andrew’s on Thursday: “I think for myself firstly to get back into English football is great, it’s what I’ve wanted to do.

“I’ve had opportunities over the last four, six weeks at other clubs as well, to do that. But I think since speaking to Birmingham and seeing the ambitions of the club, where they want to go, where they want to get to, it excited me.

“I want to be successful, it’s clear this club wants to be successful, and everything we spoke about really was very similar. It was a really easy decision once I’d spoken to them.

“That’s the goal – for the club, for myself, is to get this club back to the Premier League, of course. I think there’s a lot of work to be done throughout the football club.

“The Premier League is where we want to get to, it’s an ambition of mine, one of the club’s, and we’re putting everything in place to make sure we do that in the near future.

“We’ll push for it (this season), of course. It’s a challenge, and something we’ll certainly push for. I’m committed, I’m ready to take this club forward, excited by this challenge…and looking forward to taking (it) on.”

When asked about taking over a club that has been doing well, Rooney said: “Of course it’s more pressure, which I love. I love the fact we’re in a good position.

“I love the pressure of it. That’s something I’ve dealt with since I was a young kid coming through at 16, so that’s nothing new to me.

“Who it might be new to is some of the players, so my job is to make sure I get them ready for that and to go out and be successful.”

The former Everton and Manchester United forward – who it emerged had got to work before 7am that morning – revealed he had spoken to Brady, and said: “It’s great to have him at the football club. He’s very ambitious to move this club forward. It’s clear, he’s fully involved in developing the club.”

An associate of the ownership is Steven Knight, the creator of Birmingham-set Peaky Blinders, which Rooney said was “one of the best television shows I’ve watched in the last 10 years”, before adding: “He actually gave me one of the caps, which I certainly wasn’t going to wear to this press conference! But I’m sure I’ll find time to put it on.”

Barry Connell’s Grade One winner Good Land has sustained a tendon injury and will miss the National Hunt season.

The seven-year-old was a bumper winner at beginning of last term and developed into a Grade One-winning hurdler, taking a Leopardstown maiden before returning to land the Nathaniel Lacy & Prtnrs Solicitors Novice Hurdle.

Subsequently the gelding lined up for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and finished a respectable fourth and was later found to have abnormalities in a blood test.

The bay was being prepared for his chasing debut at Limerick next weekend when he sustained the injury that will see him miss the new season but hopefully will not prevent him from returning next term.

“We were planning to run him in the beginners’ chase there at Limerick on Munster National Day, we just did a piece of work with him at the Curragh on Tuesday and he seemed to be fine,” Connell explained.

“Then this morning we felt we were in a bit of difficulty, so we got the leg scanned and unfortunately he’s got a tendon injury.

“It’s treatable but he will be out for the season, we’re fairly hopeful we’ll have him back for next year.

“The treatment nowadays would entail controlled exercise, he’ll have his treatment then he’ll spend time on the walker and probably go out after a little while.

“It’s just one of these things, it usually tends to happen to the better horses rather than the lesser ones because of the nature of the competitions they’re running in – Grade One races at all the top meetings.

“It’s unfortunate, it’s the first one of these we’ve had in quite some time. He had some issues in the past and we got him back successfully last year and he had a very good season and won his Grade One.

“He probably was a little under the weather at Cheltenham but we were delighted to have the season we had last year and with a bit of luck we’ll have him back.

“He’s seven now, eight next year, but he’s only very lightly raced so hopefully the prognosis is good and he can make a full recovery for next year.”

Chris Woakes believes home advantage stacks the odds in India’s favour at the World Cup but insists his England side are motivated to “knock them off their perch”.

The last three editions of the tournament have all gone the way of the host nations, with India lifting their last global title in Mumbai in 2011, followed by Australia in Melbourne in 2015 and England at Lord’s four years ago.

India have done little to reduce their status as pre-competition favourites, kicking off their campaign with heavy wins over Afghanistan and Australia, while Asian rivals Pakistan also have two wins from two.

But Woakes, who was part of Eoin Morgan’s triumphant team in 2019 and is looking for a repeat performance, is not overawed.

“It’s an incredibly tough challenge to win in India. Naturally, I think the sub-continental teams will feel more at home with the conditions,” he said.

“That makes it extremely hard for us to knock them off their perch, so to speak. But we’ve got the squad and the players to be able to compete. People have looked at us for a while and we’ve had a little bit of a target on our back as a white-ball team, around the world.

“It’s a tough competition to win isn’t it? Especially here. But we’ll give it a good crack. We’re taking it each game as it comes.

“Naturally, people have got expectations of us and we’ve certainly got our own expectations of ourselves.”

England’s defence is back on track after they followed an opening defeat to New Zealand with a 137-run success over Bangladesh, with their shifting fortunes exemplified by Woakes’ own figures.

The 34-year-old was off the pace against the Black Caps, leaking 45 runs in six wicketless overs, but warmed to his work on Tuesday night, opening his account with the wickets of Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Tigers top-scorer Liton Das.

Unfancied Afghanistan are next, in Delhi on Sunday, with Woakes eager to continue his upward trajectory.

“It’s the start of a long tournament,” he said. “I certainly feel that I would’ve liked to have bowled a little bit better but they are long competitions and you don’t want to peak too soon, I suppose.

“I have built into tournaments in the past and into series, which I suppose holds me in good stead moving forward. But you contribute every time you go out in the field so I’ll be working hard in practice to try and make sure that I’m on the money when I get the opportunity.”

Woakes also had his say on the news that cricket was on the cusp of making its return to the Olympic Games, having last appeared as a one-game showcase in 1900.

The Warwickshire all-rounder does not expect to be around for Los Angeles 2028, but is enthusiastic about the sport moving onto a new stage.

“I don’t think I’ll be playing at that age, but I think it would be great,” he said.

“Getting the game in front of more people is what we need to do. For a sport that I’ve played since I was a child, to be a part of the Olympics would be amazing for me.

“To be sat at home watching the lads taking on the rest of the world as an Olympic sport would be massive for the game. The more people that we can get watching it and maybe looking to take it up the better, and growing the game around the world is hugely important.”

Bob Baffert is excited to see Frankie Dettori’s famous flying dismount again when the Italian returns to California following his retirement U-turn.

The American handler was a big supporter of Dettori when he headed to America last winter and Baffert has indicated he will be keen to provide the 52-year-old with plenty of ammunition when he relocates to be based out of Santa Anita following his Qipco British Champions Day swansong.

Baffert and Dettori have linked up to great effect in the past, claiming Dubai World Cup honours with Country Grammer in 2022, while that horse also kickstarted the jockey’s spell in America last winter when winning the San Antonio Stakes.

Baffert is now relishing Dettori’s return to California and the opportunity to enjoy many more victories together.

“I think it is terrific news for the sport and the fans of racing in California,” Baffert told the PA news agency.

“In particular I can’t wait to see some more of his flying dismounts from my horses in the Santa Anita winner’s circle, because that is really entertaining and the fans really come out to see him.

“He’s an icon in the sport of racing and probably the most notable jockey I know around the world.

“We’ve got some horses here and I’ll definitely use him. I don’t have anything for him for the Breeders’ Cup – if he would have been here a month or so ago I probably would have – but I will definitely put him on some good ones.”

Baffert’s support will be a boost for Dettori who has the aim of adding the Kentucky Derby to his illustrious CV during his overseas career extension.

Some of the duo’s biggest triumphs together have come on dirt and the Hall of Fame handler – who oversaw the careers of Triple Crown winners American Pharoah and Justify – believes the Italian’s ability to ride effectively on all surfaces is something he has rarely seen during his career.

“Not only is he a great athlete but he is really intelligent, has great hands and rides the dirt really well,” explained Baffert.

“I thought he was going to come over here and be a turf specialist, but he’s great on either surface and that is very rare and there has only been a dozen or so jockeys who are that kind of rider.

“He knows how to place a horse and how to get a horse to relax and his input is really important – he will get off and tell you how he felt about a horse, what he needs, the style and everything.

“Dirt racing is a different animal and you are going fast the whole way. It is not sitting there in those mile-and-a-half races reading a book down the back side and then everybody goes for home and he’s just incredible.

“He’s reacts really well in a tough situation and he’s used to riding heavy favourites. When he’s got a target on his back, he’s used to it, and he can handle the pressure.

“Unfortunately as a trainer, you can’t blame the jockey when you use Frankie Dettori – that is the only downfall.”

Bob Baffert is excited to see Frankie Dettori’s famous flying dismount again when the Italian returns to California following his retirement U-turn.

The American handler was a big supporter of Dettori when he headed to America last winter and Baffert has indicated he will be keen to provide the 52-year-old with plenty of ammunition when he relocates to be based out of Santa Anita following his Qipco British Champions Day swansong.

Baffert and Dettori have linked up to great effect in the past, claiming Dubai World Cup honours with Country Grammer in 2022, while that horse also kickstarted the jockey’s spell in America last winter when winning the San Antonio Stakes.

Baffert is now relishing Dettori’s return to California and the opportunity to enjoy many more victories together.

“I think it is terrific news for the sport and the fans of racing in California,” Baffert told the PA news agency.

“In particular I can’t wait to see some more of his flying dismounts from my horses in the Santa Anita winner’s circle, because that is really entertaining and the fans really come out to see him.

“He’s an icon in the sport of racing and probably the most notable jockey I know around the world.

“We’ve got some horses here and I’ll definitely use him. I don’t have anything for him for the Breeders’ Cup – if he would have been here a month or so ago I probably would have – but I will definitely put him on some good ones.”

Baffert’s support will be a boost for Dettori who has the aim of adding the Kentucky Derby to his illustrious CV during his overseas career extension.

Some of the duo’s biggest triumphs together have come on dirt and the Hall of Fame handler – who oversaw the careers of Triple Crown winners American Pharoah and Justify – believes the Italian’s ability to ride effectively on all surfaces is something he has rarely seen during his career.

“Not only is he a great athlete but he is really intelligent, has great hands and rides the dirt really well,” explained Baffert.

“I thought he was going to come over here and be a turf specialist, but he’s great on either surface and that is very rare and there has only been a dozen or so jockeys who are that kind of rider.

“He knows how to place a horse and how to get a horse to relax and his input is really important – he will get off and tell you how he felt about a horse, what he needs, the style and everything.

“Dirt racing is a different animal and you are going fast the whole way. It is not sitting there in those mile-and-a-half races reading a book down the back side and then everybody goes for home and he’s just incredible.

“He’s reacts really well in a tough situation and he’s used to riding heavy favourites. When he’s got a target on his back, he’s used to it, and he can handle the pressure.

“Unfortunately as a trainer, you can’t blame the jockey when you use Frankie Dettori – that is the only downfall.”

American handler Wesley Ward has backed Frankie Dettori’s decision to postpone his retirement and hailed the Italian as “one of the best jockeys to ever sit on the back of a racehorse”.

Ward and Dettori have teamed up for plenty of big-race glory down the years, notably at Royal Ascot, and should Dettori find himself back at the Berkshire track in June, the trainer will be eager to secure his services.

Before that possibility, however, Ward is likely to call on Dettori in Keeneland as he puts his Ascot team together.

The American is fully supportive of the rider’s decision to reverse his retirement call, believing he still has plenty to offer at the age of 52.

“I don’t know why he was retiring anyway – why would you retire when you are at the top of your game? I asked him what was wrong with him!” Ward told the PA news agency.

“He doesn’t look like he’s lost a step to me. Sometimes you make a decision and things change. He seems like he still has the energy and the drive, while when others call it a day you can see they don’t have the motivation any longer, they lose interest in what they have been doing for 30-plus years but I don’t think he’s any of that.

“I think he wanted to retire right at the top of the game but at the end of the day, you only live once. When you sit back and think about it, you are not going to be happy commentating on it when you are at the top of your game.

“It’s a big decision to come to America but he’s probably done it because of the success he had last year and he’ll probably have even more this year. Last year a lot of the trainers at Santa Anita didn’t know him very well, they didn’t know his personality whereas now they are familiar with him – because of that I think he’ll do better this year.”

Ward went on: “He’s one of, if not the best jockey to ever sit on the back of a racehorse. To transfer your ability worldwide, to do it in different continents, nobody has done that other than Steve Cauthen I would say.

“He’s a unique rider, he can ride anywhere in the world over decades and ride with the best. Steve retired at a much younger age, so in my mind Frankie is the greatest.

“Last winter he won a race for me at Gulfstream Park, it was good to have him up. It wasn’t a big race, just an allowance horse, but the owner told me it was her greatest thrill in racing to have Frankie ride her a winner.

“Most of my Ascot two-year-olds are based at Keeneland, so I’ll be keen to reunite with him if he goes in that direction.

“If he rides at Ascot, he’ll be riding the best of my best, that’s for sure!”

Ollie Sangster will saddle his first Group One runner when stable star Shuwari attempts to get back to winning ways in the bet365 Fillies’ Mile.

The daughter of New Bay created a taking impression in her early outings and got the better of subsequent Moyglare Stud Stakes scorer Fallen Angel to claim Listed honours at Sandown on just her second start.

That piece of form was key to the youngster being sent off the 13-8 favourite for the Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket two weeks ago, when she lost her unbeaten record at the hands of Carla’s Way.

However, the manner in which she made smooth headway to try to chase down the winner from a position in rear offers plenty of encouragement ahead of this step up to a mile.

Sangster said: “She ran a very good race and we were very happy in the circumstances. She has come out of the race well and I’m looking forward to Friday.

“She’s a straightforward horse who relaxes and settles well and I can’t see the step up in trip being a problem.

“It’s nice to have a chance in a race like this and hopefully she will run well for us.”

A place behind Shuwari in third in the Rockfel was Aidan O’Brien’s Ylang Ylang, who was installed as the early ante-post favourite for next year’s 1000 Guineas after winning her first two contests but has had her momentum checked the last twice.

She will once again be partnered by Ryan Moore, who told Betfair: “She was taken off her feet a bit on quick ground over seven furlongs here last time, so the step up to a mile will suit and she has form on soft if we get a lot of rain.

“I’d like to think she is the filly to beat if returning to the form of her Leopardstown win. We have always thought of her as a Group One filly.”

Ylang Ylang is one of two in the race for the master of Ballydoyle alongside stablemate Brilliant, while the Irish challenge is bolstered by Noel Meade’s Caught U Looking, who enhanced her reputation with a half-length success in the Weld Park Stakes last month.

The improving youngster needed every yard of seven furlongs on that occasion and her handler is now keen to test her over further.

Meade said: “She won at Leopardstown very well and she carried on and won a Group Three. She just about won it and didn’t win by any long way, but she is by Harzand and I think the step up to a mile will be a help.

“Her sire was a good mile-and-a-half horse and you would imagine that is where she will be going (next year). She certainly stayed on well at the Curragh and went through the line well and was only getting going at the end of the seven furlongs. I would say seven is as short as you would like to go, so you would be hoping she will run a nice race.

“I’m a little bit concerned by very fast ground but hopefully we get a bit of rain that would help.”

Frankie Dettori has won this a record seven times and fresh from announcing the extension of his riding career, he will team up with Michael Bell’s Ambiente Amigo, who has caught the eye when winning minor races at Lingfield and now takes a vast step up in grade.

Meanwhile, Ralph Beckett appears to have a strong hand saddling both impressive Sandown scorer Classical Song and Ascot victor Seaward and Rossa Ryan is relishing the chance to partner the former for the first time.

He said: “I know the Beckett team like her and Ryan (Moore) liked her the last day and she looks a very good, honest, genuine sort. The signs look right to have a pop at it.”

The field is completed by Andrew Balding’s May Hill Stakes runner-up See The Fire.

The daughter of Sea The Stars is out of her owner Jeff Smith’s Juddmonte International Stakes winner Arabian Queen and is held in high regard by connections.

“We’re looking forward to running in the Fillies’ Mile and we were very pleased with her second in the May Hill,” said David Bowe, Smith’s racing manager.

“She still ran a bit green and has come on since then mentally.

“We’re hoping that she will do us proud and she is obviously a really smart filly and we’ll see how she fares.

“She has a really stout pedigree and she has the looks to go with it. She’s a beautifully proportioned filly and just neat and tidy for a two-year-old.

“We’re very pleased with her all round. We’re very lucky that both her and Ghostwriter seem to be in good shape for the obvious next year. We don’t want to tempt fate and get too excited, but it’s nice to have a couple of nice horses on the books and we’re in good shape.”

The Football Association has been condemned for its “weak response” to the Israel and Palestine conflict by a Jewish communal organisation.

The FA had faced calls to illuminate the Wembley arch in the colours of the Israeli flag before Friday’s friendly between England and Australia, following attacks by Hamas militants on the country’s territory last weekend.

The FA announced in a statement on Thursday that players would wear black armbands and that a period of silence would be observed instead to remember the victims of the conflict.

The Hamas attacks have led to the Israeli government responding with airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, with a ground invasion also reported to be a possibility.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews criticised the FA statement, pointing out that it made “no mention of the mass terrorist murders of hundreds of innocent Israelis last Saturday”.

Marie van der Zyl, the Board of Deputies’ president, added: “After the Bataclan massacre in 2015, when 90 were murdered at a Paris nightclub, La Marseillaise was played at every Premier League stadium the following weekend.

“When hundreds of innocent Israelis were murdered, raped and kidnapped in a co-ordinated terrorist campaign, unequalled since 9/11, the FA’s response is ‘to remember the victims of the conflicts in Israel and Palestine’. This weak response brings no credit on the FA.”

The FA’s statement read: “On Friday evening, we will remember the innocent victims of the devastating events in Israel and Palestine. Our thoughts are with them, and their families and friends in England and Australia and with all the communities who are affected by this ongoing conflict. We stand for humanity and an end to the death, violence, fear and suffering.”

The FA said flags, replica kits and other representations of nationality beyond those related to England or Australia would not be allowed inside Wembley on Friday.

Teams in the EFL and Premier League will also pay tribute to the victims of the conflict in their next rounds of matches

The British Government had written to UK sports bodies encouraging them to mark events in Israel appropriately.

The England and Wales Cricket Board released a statement on Thursday which read: “We deplore the appalling loss of innocent life following recent events in Israel and Palestine.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of all the innocent victims, and those who are still missing, as well as the communities who are affected.

“While sport seems trivial compared to the harrowing scenes we have all watched, it is also an opportunity for people to come together and remind ourselves that there’s far more that brings us together, than divides us. We should now all unify in our hope for peace.”

A post shared by Moeen Ali (@moeenmunirali)

England cricketer Moeen Ali has deleted an Instagram post featuring the Palestinian flag and a quote from Malcolm X.

Moeen then put up a new post, without the flag but containing the same Malcolm X quote: “If you’re not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”

The International Olympic Committee said its executive board members had “expressed their very strong feelings over these tragic events in the recent days” at the start of Thursday’s meeting in Mumbai and “express their deepest sympathy with the innocent victims of this terrible violence”.

Sebastian Korda won the battle of the young Americans to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 semi-final.

Korda recovered from a set down to defeat Ben Shelton 6-7 (10) 6-2 7-6 (6) at the Shanghai Masters in a clash lasting two hours and 55 minutes.

It was the first all-American quarter-final at a Masters 1000 event for six years and it did not disappoint, with the explosive Shelton finally taking his fifth chance to win the opening-set tie-break having earlier failed to serve it out.

Korda, two years older at 23, hit back strongly and Shelton appeared to be flagging physically when he trailed by a break in the deciding set.

But he fought back to level and saved five match points from 1-6 in the deciding tie-break before Korda clinched his sixth opportunity.

“It’s super cool,” said Korda. “I played a really high level. Ben did as well. We had a lot of great points out there and hopefully it’s the first of many battles that we play against each other. He’s such an electric tennis player and it was a lot of fun to share the court with him today.”

In the last four, Korda will take on 16th seed Hubert Hurkacz, who ended the surprise run of Hungarian Fabian Marozsan with a 4-6 6-1 6-3 victory.

Trainer Ted Walsh has described the changes to the Randox Grand National as a “another step in the abolition of jump racing as we knew it”.

The Jockey Club announced on Thursday morning that the maximum field size will be reduced from 40 to 34 and that a standing start will be implemented, as well as the first fence being moved forward.

There are some minor changes to the course too, with fence 11 reduced in height and the railing adjusted to help round up loose horses.

Walsh trained Papillon to win the contest in 2000 with his son Ruby on board and although Ruby has shown his support for the amendments, his father has concerns about the future of the race.

He told Sky Sports Racing: “The Jockey Club is just slowly giving in, they’re on the back foot. They have to try and appease those people (who criticise the event) in order for a race like the National to continue, it is what it is. This is only another step in the abolition of jump racing as we knew it.

“I wasn’t surprised, I haven’t been surprised by what the English might do for the last 20 years, some of the strangest things of all kinds.

“They’ve backed themselves into a corner on a few occasions, there’s nothing you can do to try and appease the antis and the animal welfare. Nobody ever stood up for the what the majority believed in that were involved in racing, they just got on the back foot.

“If you get on the back foot, you seem to be on the back foot for the rest of your life.”

Of his son’s differing views, Walsh added: “I don’t know what anybody else thinks, that’s my opinion on it. Ruby’s of a different generation, he’s 30 years or more younger than me and he has his own opinions and I respect him for it.

“I’m 73 and I probably won’t live to see the next 20 years, but I’d say in 20 years time you might have no English National and you might have no jump racing in England.”

Sandy Thomson saddled Hill Sixteen for the race this year, but the horse suffered what was described as an “unrecoverable injury” at the first fence.

The adjustments to the start and its proximity to the first fence may not have changed the horse’s fate, but Thomson is largely in favour of the measures and believes they will prove helpful.

He said: “The race has changed so much, the figures show they are going a lot quicker to the first fence and the class of horses going into the race. Do the horses 35 to 40 have much of a chance in the race? Probably they don’t.

“The other thing that they were looking at is the start and it seems that they couldn’t bring the start closer to the first fence, with the way the start was the horses on the outside were actually having to trot or canter just to keep up with the horses on the inside.

“They’ve had to try and reduce the speed and moving the first fence was one way, and the standing start obviously reduces the speed again. They’re the main changes and the time of the race as well, I think 5pm was just getting far too late for everybody. It’s a very good thing that they’ve brought it forward.

“Society is changing and we have to change with it, but we mustn’t just say ‘it’s getting ridiculous and we can’t carry on’. A huge amount of people get a huge amount of enjoyment out of the race and a small minority who just jump on the bandwagon shouldn’t be allowed to influence the majority. Unfortunately with social media being the way it is, that can happen.”

Aidan O’Brien has been forced to rule Luxembourg out of the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday week.

The four-year-old has won a Group One in each of his three seasons on the track but will not get the chance to add to his tally on October 21.

Having beaten Bay Bridge in the Tattersalls Gold Cup in May, he was second to Mostahdaf in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes before failing to see out a mile and a half in the King George.

He was last seen giving stablemate Auguste Rodin a fright in the Irish Champion Stakes – a race he won last season – when going down by half a length.

Champions Day had been his aim but a foot problem will prevent him from lining up.

Speaking at the Curragh on Thursday, O’Brien said: “Luxembourg doesn’t run in the Champion Stakes as he has a little bit of a foot (injury).”

Warren Gatland says that Wales are not ready to go home and they will embrace the pressure surrounding Saturday’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final against Argentina.

Victory over the Pumas in Marseille would see Wales reach a third World Cup semi-final under Gatland.

And while the Wales head coach had short shrift for those complaining about the World Cup draw being conducted in late 2020 – two heavyweight contenders out of France, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa will be eliminated this weekend – his sole focus is on events at Stade Velodrome.

“The quarter-final poses its own challenges and pressures because you are either here until the end of the tournament or you are going home on Monday,” Gatland said.

“Definitely as a squad, we are not ready to go home. It is pressure rugby now in the knockout stages, and that is what we have prepared for.

“You have just got to embrace it (pressure). You cannot hide away from it, and we know within the squad the preparation that has gone into this World Cup.

“We are not surprised where we are. We think we are in pretty good shape from a physical point of view, but also a mental point of view in terms of our preparation.

“If you read or listened to anyone a couple of months ago, there was speculation, people predicting we would not get out of the group.

“We haven’t spoken about underdogs or favourite tags. We are just going through our own processes and working as hard as we can to make sure the preparation is right for Saturday.”

Dan Biggar and Liam Williams have been passed fit to start against Argentina, while centre George North will become the first Welshman to feature in four World Cup quarter-finals.

Biggar had been battling to overcome a chest injury and Williams was a doubt because of a knee problem, but they have been given the all-clear and start at fly-half and full-back, respectively.

There is no place in the matchday 23 for Gareth Anscombe, however, after he was forced to withdraw 45 minutes before kick-off against Georgia last Saturday because of a groin issue.

Taulupe Faletau’s World Cup-ending broken arm sustained in the 43-19 victory over the Georgians has resulted in a reshuffle to the back-row.

Aaron Wainwright moves across from blindside flanker to fill the void at number eight created by Faletau’s injury, while skipper Jac Morgan takes the number six shirt.

Leicester flanker Tommy Reffell, meanwhile, comes in at openside to complete the back-row adjustments.

Asked for his verdict on the perceived lopsided draw – the bottom half features Wales, Argentina, England and Fiji and was based on world rankings in January 2020 – Gatland added: “I would just say to the other teams they should have done better in the last World Cup. That is where the draw came from.

“It is not our fault this happened. You didn’t hear us complaining in 2015 about Fiji, Australia, England and ourselves being in the same pool. We didn’t complain about that.

“You are dealt a hand and you have just got to deal with that.

“I agree with the sentiment that the draw may have been done too early. It has been done too early in the past, and whether the people in control of that next time can put the pools together a bit later, that is up to them.

“We can’t change what has been done. We can only play what’s in front of us. In saying that, I thought our group was the most even.”

Wales have lost only two of their last 11 Tests against Argentina, and while Gatland’s team made an unbeaten march through their group, collecting 19 points from a possible 20, the Pumas struggled.

They lost to 14-man England, found it hard going against Samoa and only secured a last-eight place with a final game victory over Japan.

Gatland said: “They bring that South American mentality, they are very passionate and that is why they have won big games against top teams in the past in the southern hemisphere.

“They don’t give up, they stay in the fight. They are a really tough team to break down and beat, and it is going to be a big challenge for us.”