Connections are keen to take advantage of a chance change of plan with Hansard, who will bid for JenningsBet Elite Hurdle glory at Wincanton on Saturday.
The able five-year-old has won two of his four starts for Gary Moore and bounced back from a disappointing outing when sent off favourite for the Dovecote at Kempton with a creditable fourth in the Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree in the spring.
Owned by the Noel Fehily Racing Syndicates, he was being aimed at Cheltenham’s Greatwood Hurdle later this month, but having seen his intended prep race on the Flat at Nottingham washed out, there has been a change of heart and Hansard will now head to Wincanton for his seasonal return.
Fehily said: “We were gearing up to run him on the Flat with the plan of going for the Greatwood, but then we didn’t get the chance to run him on the Flat and this race presented itself, so we thought this may be a better starting point. We’re rolling the dice here and we’ll see how we get on.
“He’s a horse we like and he’s only had four runs over hurdles. He’s won two and was obviously fourth in the Grade One at Liverpool. He’s a nice horse and hopefully he can progress a little bit this season and we can have some fun with him.”
There is a maximum field of five for a race won last year by Paul Nicholls’ Knappers Hill and the champion trainer is set to be well represented once again by Rubaud.
The mount of Harry Cobden arrives having won his last three starts and impressed at Kempton on reappearance, with his handler hoping to tee up a shot at Constitution Hill at the Sunbury track on Boxing Day.
“An improving young horse with a bright future, he has plenty in his favour after a classy success at Kempton on his seasonal debut in a Listed event last month when he gave weight to all his rivals,” Nicholls told Betfair.
“He continues to work stylishly at home and is at his best going right-handed on a flat track like Wincanton. I’ve left off the hood he has worn on his last three starts because he doesn’t need it any more.
“The ground should be fine for Rubaud who has a first-rate chance and could well be taking on Constitution Hill at Kempton over Christmas.”
Knappers Hill himself has a fine chance of scoring at the meeting for the second year running when he lines up in the Boodles “Rising Stars” Novices’ Chase.
Although only second on his chasing bow at Chepstow, he is by far the classiest operator in the field for the Grade Two event and is fancied better than his initial outing over the larger obstacles.
Nicholls continued: “He’s a classy horse, has won 10 of his 17 starts, and jumped nicely when second on his chasing debut at Chepstow.
“That was a pleasing start, he has come on bundles since then and has strong claims in this.
“I remember Silviniaco Conti getting beaten in the same Chepstow race before winning the Rising Stars at Wincanton.”
The unbeaten Doyen Star and highly-regarded Givega will make their fencing bows in opposition, while Irish raider Captain Conby impressed at Killarney in the summer before bumping into Willie Mullins’ Sharjah in a Grade Three at Tipperary.
It will be trainer Eamon ‘Dusty’ Sheehy’s first runner at Wincanton and he said: “It’s probably a stronger race than I thought it might have turned out to be, but I’m looking forward to running him and we will see where he fits in the pecking order.
“He jumps his fences good and I do believe he has improved a little bit from his Tipperary run. We’re hoping for the best.”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has softened his opinion over Trent Alexander-Arnold’s versatility as a potential midfielder but still believes he best serves the team from his natural right-sided role.
Just over two years ago, after the 25-year-old was deployed in a central position against Andorra by England boss Gareth Southgate, Klopp said there was no need to change the defender into a midfielder.
Those lines have been blurred since Alexander-Arnold started performing the hybrid role of stepping into central areas when Liverpool are in possession and Klopp took it one step further in last month’s Carabao Cup win at Bournemouth when he brought him on to replace holding midfielder Wataru Endo for the final half-hour.
Alexis Mac Allister has been performing the number-six role in the Premier League despite it being an unfamiliar one to him but the Argentina international is suspended for Sunday’s visit of Brentford after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season.
Endo, who was a late addition to the squad in August, has started only one league game in the role but was already off the pitch by the time the side forged a late comeback at Newcastle.
His starts have mainly come in the Carabao Cup and Europe but he was one of a number of players who underperformed in the 3-2 defeat by Toulouse and his display was not the best preparation – he was replaced at half-time – to step in for Mac Allister at the weekend.
Klopp was asked whether Alexander-Arnold was a potential option, considering how thin the midfield resources are with Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic long-term absentees, Curtis Jones out till after the international break and Ryan Gravenberch doubtful with a knee problem.
“(A) possibility, depends on the situation and the opponent, on a lot of things,” said the German.
“We know he can play there but if we just put him there we lose one of the best right-backs in the world so we should not forget that completely.
“Of course he is an option for that position.”
Mac Allister was one of only two players retained from Sunday’s draw at Luton to start against Toulouse as Klopp knew he would get an enforced rest this weekend.
But, even in his preferred position slightly further forward, the World Cup winner struggled like many of his team-mates as Liverpool’s three-match winning run in the competition came to an end and placed greater significance on their final two games – even though they are still group leaders.
“We were not good enough defensively. We missed so many challenges and that cannot happen when we play with the high line,” Mac Allister told liverpoolfc.com.
“It is what it is, we will try to improve and go again on Sunday because we have a very important game.”
Mac Allister was involved in the most contentious incident of the night when Jarell Quansah’s last-minute equaliser was ruled out for a handball by the Argentinian after a VAR referral.
“It’s a weird one because the referee said goal and then 10 seconds later he changed the decision,” he added.
“I don’t know exactly how the rule is but it first hit my chest so it’s weird. But it’s not an excuse, we didn’t play well.”
Sense Of Duty will return to the scene of her finest hour as she bids to end the year on a high in the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Wentworth Stakes at Newcastle.
The six-furlong Listed event has been switched from its original home of Doncaster to Gosforth Park and could prove a fitting place for William Haggas’ speedster to return to winning ways having brought up a four-timer over course and distance in the Chipchase Stakes in the summer of 2022.
Injury has curtailed her progress since then, but she has graced the track twice this autumn and now drops in class having last been seen on British Champions Day in Group One sprinting action.
“She had a long break and ran well at Newbury on reappearance over an inadequate trip, but to be honest was probably a little bit disappointing at Ascot,” said Richard Brown, racing manager for owners St Albans Bloodstock.
“She was very impressive when she won the Chipchase at Newcastle so going back up there to the same course and distance, we will see if history could repeat itself.
“William’s horses are in great form and it would be great to put her away with a win under her belt.”
Nick Bradley’s syndicates have a trio of fillies entered for the race, headed by the Grant Tuer-trained Sophia’s Starlight.
The three-year-old has won four times this year and went close last time out when second in the Listed Boadicea Stakes at Newmarket in mid-October.
“Sophia’s Starlight is probably first string, we think she’s a very good filly and she’ll win a Group race, she’s one we’re excited about going forward,” said Bradley.
“At Newmarket she ran very well, she was just a bit unlucky. Had this race been on turf in heavy ground I’d have been quite bullish, obviously it’s switched but in our mind she’s still our first string.”
The Karl Burke-trained Secret Angel runs for the same ownership group, another three-year-old who finished 10th in the same race as Sophia’s Starlight last time out but has some taking form at stakes level on her CV otherwise.
“Cliff (Lee) takes the ride, she needs to put her last run behind her,” Bradley said.
“I was keen to run here as it’s her last opportunity to try to win a stakes race in the UK, I think on her best form she’d be there or thereabouts.”
Glorious Angel makes up the Bradley runners, another filly trained by Tuer and one who has been the runner up on her last three outings.
“Glorious Angel has been running really well on the heavy ground as of late, she’s a game, game filly and she tries her heart out,” the syndicate manager said.
“She’s been a bit unlucky, she’s been second three times but she’s made 30 grand in prize money so the owners aren’t complaining.
“Again, if it was on heavy ground I’d fancy her chances, she’s proven on the all-weather but I think to a slightly lower level than her heavy ground form.
“She tries her heart out and if she finishes in the first three, I’ll be buzzing.”
David O’Meara’s Aberama Gold and Hugo Palmer’s Brad The Brief are others with leading claims.
Giannis Antetokounmpo feels he is rediscovering his best form after a 54-point turn against the Indiana Pacers.
Antetokounmpo starred for the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, adding to his points tally with 12 rebounds, though it was not enough as the Pacers clinched a 126-124 victory.
Indeed, the two-time MVP was partly at fault as he committed two turnovers with the Bucks trailing 122-121 in the closing stages of the fourth quarter.
Antetokounmpo has only finished with more points once in his career. Across his eight games this season, the 28-year-old is averaging 28.1 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists.
"I was just; my legs were feeling good," Antetokounmpo said, as per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
"I was on balance. I feel strong. I feel like I could attack angles like I have been in the past.
"I've been feeling like this the last three games. That means I'm kind of getting my rhythm back, so I'm kind of happy about that.
"But at the end of the day, it does not matter because we didn't get a win. Hopefully, we can go to Orlando and get a win."
Reflecting on his mistakes down the stretch, Antetokounmpo added: "I didn't take care of the ball on two possessions. I had to shoot the ball, I didn't shoot the ball. But I was gassed and they were able to get a win."
Antetokounmpo's teammate Khris Middleton suggested the other Bucks must take more responsibility, though.
"You could see nobody out there could guard him tonight," Middleton said.
"It was either a layup, dunk or a foul. And I think he realised that, he sensed blood, and he went for it every time. That's what we need on nights like tonight.
"Unfortunately, we couldn't get the win with it. But he did a great job of attacking, seeing double teams, kicking out, knowing when to attack, knowing when to wait.
"Just being patient. I thought he played a great game. [We have] just got to be better at the end for him there, help him out a little bit more."
The Bucks, who are 5-3 for the season, face the Orlando Magic on Saturday in their next outing.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe could finalise a deal to become a minority shareholder at Manchester United during the upcoming international break.
Ratcliffe’s Ineos Group is expected to pay in the region of £1.25billion for a 25 per set stake in the Old Trafford club, while also acquiring significant control over footballing operations.
There is no a firm timetable for the deal to be finalised, but the PA news agency understands it could come as early as next week, with Ineos optimistic it will be done before the Premier League campaign resumes on November 25 after the international break.
Reports that the deal could come as soon as Monday have, however, been dismissed as that is the date of Sir Bobby Charlton’s funeral.
It is almost a year since the Glazer family announced, on November 22, 2022, that they were considering “strategic alternatives” to help the club grow, which included consideration of a sale.
Qatari Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and Ratcliffe emerged from a large field of interested parties, and made offers in the region of £5bn for a complete takeover, but that fell short of the Glazer family’s valuation.
Sheikh Jassim then withdrew from the process last month, while Ratcliffe continued to pursue a minority shareholding which could later be increased.
The 71-year-old, who tried to buy Chelsea last year, grew up in the Manchester region and describes himself as a lifelong fan of United.
The deal is expected to lead to a major shake up of United’s football operations. Sir Dave Brailsford, the former performance director of British Cycling, is expected to take on significant influence in his role as Ineos’s director of sport.
The group already owns French Ligue 1 club Nice and Swiss club Lausanne, as well as the Ineos Grenadiers cycling team and Ineos Britannia – the sailing team led by Sir Ben Ainslie.
They also have a stake in Formula One team Mercedes, whose team principal Toto Wolff last week said he would also consider investing in United once Ratcliffe’s deal is completed.
Ongoing speculation and uncertainty over the club’s ownership has come at a time when United are struggling on the pitch.
Wednesday’s stunning 4-3 defeat to Copenhagen has left Erik ten Hag’s side bottom of their Champions League group, while they are eighth in the Premier League, having lost nine of 17 games in all competitions.
Highly-rated striker Evan Ferguson has signed a new contract with Brighton which ties him to the club until 2029.
The 19-year-old Republic of Ireland international has extended his existing deal with the Seagulls, amid reports that other Premier League clubs were tracking his progress.
“Evan deserves this new contract and he has a very big future ahead of him,” Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi said.
Ferguson joined Brighton from Irish side Bohemians in January 2021 and made his first-team debut later that year in a Carabao Cup tie against Cardiff.
He has scored 15 times for the first team since then, having opened his account against Arsenal last December.
Brighton technical director David Weir said: “Evan is a brilliant young talent and we are delighted for him.
“He’s shown his ability at club and international level, after breaking into the team at the start of the year, and we are looking forward to working with him and watching his continued progress.”
Ferguson made his senior Ireland debut in March, scoring in a 3-2 win over Latvia.
Connections are hopeful Stage Star will give his legion of owners plenty to shout about when the Cheltenham Festival hero returns in the Paddy Power Gold Cup on Saturday week.
Trained by Paul Nicholls, the seven-year-old is 5-1 favourite with the sponsors ahead of his return in the prestigious handicap that is the feature of Cheltenham’s three-day November meeting.
It is at Prestbury Park where Stage Star enjoyed some of his finest moments over fences last term and having carried a huge weight to victory on Festival Trials Day, returned in March to claim the Grade One Turners Novices’ Chase with a fine front-running display.
His course form gives his ownership team plenty of hope ahead of his seasonal reappearance and although disappointing when a heavy favourite on his final start of the 2022-23 campaign at Aintree, he is yet to finish outside of the first two when running between October and December.
“He’s in good form and obviously likes the track,” said Dan Downie of Owners Group, owners of Stage Star.
“He’s ready to go and this has been the target for a while. It’s going to be tough and he’ll be carrying a lot of weight, but Paul is happy with him and we’re looking forward to running him.
“We looked at a few options, but he does need to go left-handed, so we were a bit short on where we could go, But we know he loves the track so we thought this would be a reasonable starting point for him.”
Naomi Osaka will make her return to tennis at the Brisbane International to start next season.
The four-time grand slam champion has not played a match since September 2022, taking the whole of this year off and giving birth to daughter Shai in July.
“I am really excited about getting back out on court and competing,” said Osaka. “I always love starting my season in Brisbane and can’t wait to return. The Brisbane International is such a great tournament and will set me up for a brilliant comeback this summer.”
The 26-year-old had played an increasingly sparse schedule before her maternity leave, stepping away from the court several times to prioritise her mental health.
But, speaking to ESPN during the US Open, she said of her time away: “It really raised my love for the sport. It made me realise I’m not going to play forever. I have to embrace the times. I’ve been playing tennis since I was three.
“I don’t think I can predict what I’ll do. I never am able to do that, but it definitely made me appreciate a lot of things that I took for granted.”
Osaka will play her first grand slam since the US Open in 2022 at the Australian Open, which she won in 2019 and 2021, later in January.
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Also playing at the Brisbane International, which takes place from December 31 to January 7, will be Andy Murray.
“It’s great to see the Brisbane International back and I am really looking forward to returning to Queensland this summer,” said Murray.
“I have great memories of winning the title in 2012 and 2013 and I would love to lift the trophy again for a third time in Brisbane.”
Tottenham midfielder James Maddison has been withdrawn from the England squad due to injury.
The 26-year-old was taken off during the first half of Spurs’ 4-1 Premier League defeat to Chelsea on Monday with an ankle injury, and his club have now confirmed he is unavailable for England’s Euro 2024 qualifiers at home to Malta on November 17 and away to North Macedonia on November 20.
Spurs said in a statement that the player would continue his rehabilitation at their Hotspur Way training centre under the supervision of club medical staff.
Maddison had been included in the initial 25-man squad named by England manager Gareth Southgate on Thursday.
England sealed qualification for next summer’s Euros in Germany in their last qualifier, a 2-1 win over Italy at Wembley last month.
What the papers say
Tottenham will look to fill the hole left by Micky van de Ven – who was injured in their 4-1 loss to Chelsea on Monday – identifying Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly as a possible replacement, according to the Standard. Kelly, 25, was a transfer target in the summer and his contract expires at the end of the season.
Arsenal could look for midfield cover in January with Thomas Partey set to be out for the rest of 2023, the Daily Mail says.
Social media round-upPlayers to watch
Raphael Varane: The Saudi Pro League are after the 30-year-old Manchester United man but the club want to keep him, Football Insider reports.
Florian Wirtz: Liverpool and Chelsea are interested in the 20-year-old Bayer Leverkusen midfielder but they will have to wait until the summer transfer window, TEAMtalk reports.
Connor Bedard tallied two goals and two assists for his first multipoint game and the Chicago Blackhawks stopped an eight-game losing streak against the Tampa Bay Lightning with a 5-3 victory on Thursday.
Bedard has five goals in his last five games and has taken over the rookie scoring lead with 11 points this season.
Rookie defenseman Kevin Korchinski and ex-Lightning forwards Tyler Johnson and Corey Perry also scored for the Blackhawks, who hadn’t beaten Tampa Bay since a shootout win on March 5, 2021.
Anthony Cirelli, Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos scored for Tampa Bay, which lost in regulation for the first time in seven home games (4-1-2).
Pettersson leads Canucks to 5th straight win
Red-hot Elias Pettersson scored one goal and set up two others as the Vancouver Canucks beat the Ottawa Senators 5-2 for their fifth consecutive win.
Ilya Mikheyev scored twice and Brock Boeser and J.T Miller also had goals to help Vancouver extend its point streak to nine games (8-0-1).
Pettersson has five goals and nine assists during a seven-game point streak and leads the NHL with 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists).
Drake Batherson and Artem Zub scored for the Senators, who have allowed 25 goals during a five-game home skid.
Lafreniere keeps Rangers surging
Alexis Lafreniere snapped a tie early in the third period and added two assists as the New York Rangers extended their point streak with a 4-1 win over the Minnesota Wild.
Vincent Trocheck also had a goal and two assists and Louis Domingue made 25 saves in his first NHL game in nearly 18 months as New York improved to 8-0-1 in its last nine games.
Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist for the Rangers to push his season-starting point streak to 13 games, one shy of the franchise record set by Rod Gilbert in 1972-73.
David Moyes was named as the new head coach of LaLiga side Real Sociedad, on this day in 2014.
Moyes, who was axed by Manchester United the previous April following a dismal first season in charge at Old Trafford, was handed a contract until June 2016 with the Spanish outfit.
Moyes left United just 10 months into a six-year deal after being named as the successor to Sir Alex Ferguson in the summer of 2013.
At the time of his departure, United – the defending champions – were seventh in the Premier League and 23 points behind leaders Liverpool.
The 20-time title winners had broken a host of unwanted records during his tenure, including failing to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in almost two decades.
Moyes, who served the third-shortest managerial stint in the club’s history, won 27, drew nine and lost 15 of his 51 games in charge.
The former Everton boss took over a Sociedad side who had moved out of the relegation zone a day earlier with a 2-1 home win over champions Atletico Madrid.
Following a goalless draw at Deportivo in his first match in charge, Moyes secured his maiden win with a 3-0 victory over Elche, courtesy of a hat-trick from Carlos Vela.
Sociedad also beat Barcelona 1-0 in January and finished 12th in the table, but Moyes was sacked on November 9, 2015 following a poor start to the following season.
Moyes was appointed Sunderland manager in July 2016 following the departure of Sam Allardyce, but the Black Cats were relegated from the Premier League and Moyes resigned a day after the season ended.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored an NBA season-high 54 points, but the Indiana Pacers rallied late in the fourth quarter to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 126-124 on Thursday.
One night after being ejected for celebrating after a dunk, Antetokounmpo was 19 of 25 from the field and 16 for 18 from the free throw line to come up one point shy of his career high.
With Damian Lillard sitting due to an ankle injury, Antetokounmpo carried the offense but scored just eight points in the fourth quarter and finished with eight turnovers, including two at crunch time.
The Pacers trailed 117-108 with under five minutes remaining but took the lead for good with a 16-4 run down the stretch.
Tyrese Haliburton made five of Indiana’s 20 3-pointers, including the go-ahead bucket with 1:29 remaining, and led the way for the Pacers with 29 points and 10 assists.
Bennedict Mathurin added 26 points and 11 rebounds, while Myles Turner chipped in 21 points, six rebounds and four assists as Indiana improved to 6-3 with its third straight win.
Young scores 41 in Hawks’ win
Trae Young scored 33 of his 41 points in the first half and Dejounte Murray hit the go-ahead 3-pointer late as the Atlanta Hawks held off the Orlando Magic, 120-119 in Mexico City.
Jalen Johnson had 19 points and nine rebounds and Murray finished with 16 points to help the Hawks win for the fifth time in six games.
Jalen Suggs scored 21 points to lead seven Magic players in double figures, including 17 from Paolo Banchero and Markelle Fultz and Moritz Wagner’s 13 apiece.
Franz Wagner’s hook with 45 seconds left gave Orlando a 119-117 lead, but Murray answered with a 3 11 seconds later and Banchero missed a 3 with 7.9 seconds to go.
The Chicago Bears defeated the Carolina Panthers 16-13 thanks to a third quarter touchdown from running back D’Onta Foreman.
Although the highlight of the game came in the first quarter, when Carolina wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette scored an evasive 79-yard touchdown from a punt return.
The touchdown put the Panthers up 7-3 at the end of the first quarter. Two second quarter field goals from Chicago and one to Carolina inched the game to 10-9 at halftime.
Foreman’s four-yard touchdown in the third quarter gave the Bears a six-point advantage, with a Panther’s field goal in the fourth quarter the only points scored after the touchdown.
Both teams sat in the bottom five teams in the NFL before the match, with the Panthers to next play the Arizona Cardinals, who both sitting with one win and eight losses.
Chicago’s Foreman had 80 yards from 21 carries to go with his touchdown, while quarterback Tyson Bagent threw for 162 yards.
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