Derek McInnes believes Kilmarnock will on Wednesday night face a vastly-improved Rangers team to the one who lost at Rugby Park on the opening day of the cinch Premiership season.

A 1-0 win for the Ayrshire side on August 5 heaped immediate pressure on then Gers boss Michael Beale, who lasted only until October when he was replaced by Philippe Clement with the Light Blues trailing Celtic by seven points at the top of the table.

The Belgian boss has turned Rangers’ fortunes around, bringing the Viaplay Cup to Ibrox and guiding the Govan side to the last 16 of the Europa League where they will play Portuguese side Benfica, as well as overtaking their Old Firm rivals by two points in the league.

Killie themselves are in good form, with their only defeat in the last 14 games coming at Ibrox on January 2, but manager McInnes is bracing himself for a night of “bedlam” when the Ibrox men visit for the second time this season.

He said: “The biggest compliment I can give the current manager is that even with a lot of the players that played that day, there’s far more robustness about Rangers, there is a strength about them, they certainly have the added confidence that winning gives you.

“When maybe the performance that day was a wee bit unsure, there is a certainty about them now. You know what you’re going to get.

“I actually like the way he plays, there is a directness, there is a simplicity, an organisation, you see the detail in their work in and out of possession.

“They don’t think they are anything they are not. They play forward, they ask the question, put balls in the box, take shots on from distance. They work you and you need to be able to stand up to that.

“We’re expecting a tough game but equally, I expect Rangers to get a tough game from us, if we can be anything like ourselves.

“We feel there is a performance in us that can upset Rangers and cause Rangers problems.”

Rangers, who have won nine in a row, scored in the second minute of their commanding 5-0 win over Hearts at Ibrox at the weekend and McInnes expects the start on Wednesday night to be important.

The former Gers midfielder said: “It will be bedlam here, there will be a brilliant atmosphere.

“It is a type of game players want to be involved in and that focuses you, the game demands that and concentration.

“When you are playing against players who want to start quick and come here and flex their muscles, you have to be ready to fight fire with fire and we want to make sure that we try to own that pitch, impose ourselves on the game, like we do any home game.

“Some games are easy to do that, tomorrow night will be a challenge against a strong Rangers team but we have to have the belief going on to the pitch that we are capable of getting a result.

“I know we have the performance in us to win the game and we have to do so much right to make sure that is the case.”

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers stressed the advantages of positivity from the stands ahead of Wednesday’s visit of Dundee after finding dissent over a substitution “strange”.

Boos rang out from the away support at Motherwell on Sunday when Rodgers brought on Paulo Bernardo for Tomoki Iwata with the scores tied at 1-1 with 13 minutes left.

The criticism likely stemmed from supporters’ desire to see someone else coming off other than Iwata, who had not played since December 13 because of injury, but Rodgers felt it did not help the player coming on.

Celtic went on to win 3-1 with substitutes Adam Idah and Luis Palma getting all three goals between them and Rodgers brought up the jeers when asked about the importance of utilising his bench.

“It’s very important, especially when you get booed for taking off a defender and putting on an attacker,” he said. “That seemed strange.

“You are talking 95 to 100-minute games now, so your bench is very, very important. Having the depth to bring players on make an impact is very important.”

When asked how he felt about the criticism, Rodgers said: “It doesn’t really matter to me, it’s more for the player coming on and the team.

“It’s a negative reaction which I don’t quite understand. You are 1-1 in the game and take off a defensive midfield player and bring on an attacking player who has scored goals this season and you get booed. It just seemed a little strange.

“But thankfully the players’ mentality on the pitch was superb, they kept going, they kept fighting and all the great work they did – especially in the second half in terms of tiring the opponent out – led to a couple of goals at the end.”

When asked about the effect of criticism from the stands, Rodgers said: “It’s not only for Celtic, it’s in general in any club, if that feeling rolls down from the stands onto the pitch and it’s negative, then what do you expect?

“You will get players who will have a nervousness, so the game will look different.

“Whereas if they have that positive reaction and that support, it’s like life, if you get that support and that feeling that people are behind you, everyone, then you will have a greater chance to succeed.”

Sunday’s encounter continued a recent trend where Celtic put together two very different halves of football, as Motherwell deservedly led at half-time. On other occasions, they have struggled to build on a comfortable first half.

“To be fair, it’s been like that for bits of the season,” Rodgers said.

“I see people saying ‘they don’t know their best team, they don’t know the best structure’. We know clearly what the structure is. And it’s not about the best team, it’s the team that finishes the game.

“You play so many games, you are looking for an energy in the game that you can’t possibly keep for 90 minutes unless you make those changes.

“Each game tactically is different. It’s not about finding your best 11 because they won’t finish the game. You have to adapt within the game.

“But there’s no doubt you need to have that ruthless mentality and we would want that for longer periods, of course.

“And we will continue to analyse that to see where we can improve. But by the end of the game, if we have won the game, then that’s what is most important, as well as performing well.”

Monty Williams slammed "the absolute worst call of the season" after the Detroit Pistons lost to the New York Knicks on Monday.

The Pistons lost 113-111 to the Knicks, in large part due to an obvious case of the officials missing a blatant foul with 8.5 seconds left, after Donte DiVincenzo barged into Ausar Thompson.

Referee James Williams subsequently admitted a mistake had been made.

And Williams was left seething.

"The absolute worst call of the season," Williams said.

"No call, and enough's enough. We've done it the right way. We've called the league. We've sent in clips. We're sick of hearing the same stuff over and over again.

"We had a chance to win the game, and a guy dove into Ausur's legs and there was a no-call. That's an abomination. You cannot miss that in an NBA game. Period. And I'm tired of talking about it. I'm tired of my guys asking, 'What more can we do, Coach?' That situation is Exhibit A to what we've been dealing with all season long, and enough's enough.

"You cannot dive into a guy's legs in a big-time game like that and there be a no-call," he continued. "It's ridiculous, and we're tired of it. We just want a fair game called. Period. And I've got nothing else to say. We want a fair game, and that was not fair."

The Pistons were also on the end of a controversial decision in their loss to the Orlando Magic on Saturday.

"I'd say livid," said Cade Cunningham, who scored 32 points and added five rebounds and five assists.

"That's the word of the day: livid."

Explaining his attempt to win the ball, DiVincenzo said: "I went for the ball. I didn't look at the play. You turn the ball over, the ball is in front of you, and you go after the ball. Like I said, I respect everyone's opinion. I can't speak on it until I look at the film."

The controversy came a day after LeBron James and Darvin Ham questioned the officials after the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Phoenix Suns.

Detroit sit bottom of the Eastern Conference, while the Knicks are in fourth.

Officials at Cheltenham expect the Festival to get underway on close to soft ground, with the start of the showpiece meeting now only a fortnight away.

Like much of the country, Prestbury Park has endured a predominantly wet winter, but a rare dry weekend has given clerk of the course Jon Pullin reason for optimism.

“As everyone will be very well aware, we’ve had a very wet build up this year,” he said on Tuesday.

“Thankfully, the rain held off over the weekend and it’s the first 48 hours of dry weather we’ve had for a number of weeks, which has allowed us to at least get on and start to mow this week, which was very much needed, so I’m pleased that we got that window.

“We’d be soft ground, as you can imagine with the rain that we’ve had, and the cross country would be heavy in places as well.”

While further rain is forecast in the coming days, Pullin is not expecting a huge swing in conditions either way ahead of day one of the Festival on March 12.

He added: “The forecast for the next seven to 10 days remains unsettled. Thursday looks as if it could be quite wet, but apart from that it’s just little bits and pieces.

“We’ll see how we go, but if that forecast remains, we’ll have similar ground to what we do now for the start of the Festival, I would imagine.

“There’s nothing scary I’m seeing in the forecast at the moment. We’ve been fortunate we’ve been a lot milder this year than last and the grass covering has been good.

“We did put a bit of fleece down on the New course in the home straight for a couple of weeks, just to kickstart the recovery there, but the grass is looking really well after the cut this morning, so we’re pleased with where we are at this stage.”

Champion juvenile City Of Troy is among the initial list of 72 put forward at the first entry stage of the Betfred Derby.

Aidan O’Brien’s Justify colt was unbeaten in three runs as a two-year-old, taking his maiden, the Superlative Stakes by six and a half lengths and then the Dewhurst by three and a half lengths.

His rating of 125 has left him at the top of the pile ahead of the new season, with stablemate Henry Longfellow third on the list on 119 and also nominated for the Epsom Classic.

There are 17 O’Brien-trained horses in the mix, including Diego Velazquez, winner of the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes, and Criterium de Saint-Cloud scorer Los Angeles.

City Of Troy – who will be seen first in the Qipco 2000 Guineas – heads the market, with Henry Longfellow behind him, after which Charlie Appleby is represented by Futurity Trophy winner Ancient Wisdom and Zetland Stakes victor Arabian Crown.

There are 46 British entries, 23 from Ireland and one each from France, the USA and Japan.

The next entry stage for the £1.5million showpiece, which takes place on June 1, is on April 24.

The shock news of Constitution Hill’s disappointing workout and subsequent poor scope caused reverberations around the racing world just two weeks ahead of this year’s Cheltenham Festival.

Here, we look at some of the key questions raised by the dramatic development:

What problems arise from mucus in a horse’s trachea (windpipe)?

Mucus is continually being produced by all horses and cleared from the lungs – if it is healthy and clear. However, bacterial or fungal infections lead to excess mucus secretion and any change in colour to yellow, green or even brown makes it thicker and harder to move. This mucopurulent discharge contains a combination of mucus and pus, which can cause difficulty in breathing and reduced exercise performance.

Is this a regular occurrence?

“Horses are like humans, look how many people had the awful cough around Christmas that took ages to get rid of,” commented trainer Nicky Henderson. Constitution Hill himself has been affected by a similar setback already this season, when forced to miss the Unibet Hurdle on Cheltenham’s Trials day. On that occasion, Henderson reported back in mid-January: “A routine scope last week wasn’t entirely satisfactory and a follow up this morning shows the issue hasn’t resolved and therefore there would not be time to get him ready for next week. In the meantime, he will continue with light exercise, be rescoped in a fortnight’s time and then start his preparation for March.”

How long does it take to clear up?

Obviously, much will depend on how severe the infection is, but an immediate course of antibiotics will be administered and aid any recovery. Henderson said: “Both our own vet and the racecourse veterinary surgeon who scoped him feel we definitely have a chance of correcting this in time and we will be doing everything possible to do so. We have a fortnight to work him and it is possible, so we will keep everybody notified accordingly. He is absolutely fine within himself and we have simply got to get on top of this issue as quickly as possible.”

Just how big is Constitution Hill for Cheltenham?

Every sport needs its superstars, and in the shape of Constitution Hill the world of National Hunt racing certainly has one. He is a perfect eight from eight over hurdles and the idea of defeat when he is at his best is more or less unthinkable. Think Frankel, but over jumps.

How has the Champion Hurdle betting been affected?

Constitution Hill was as short as 1-4 to retain his crown, while Coral even made him favourite to record the biggest winning distance at this year’s Festival. However, he was eased out to as big as 6-4 at one point with Champion Hurdle sponsors Unibet, who then trimmed him back into 5-4 after a more encouraging update, with State Man their 4-5 favourite. That firm is one of only a few not now offering odds on a non-runner, no bet basis. With that concession, Constitution Hill is 4-6 at best with Coral, Ladbrokes and William Hill – and still as short as 2-5 in places. William Hill spokesperson Lee Phelps said: “We might be non-runner, money back on the race, but we believe there is significant doubt now about Constitution Hill’s participation and even if he does run there have to be concerns, so we’re prepared to take him on.”

Will any other connections now be tempted to run their horses?

Bookmakers are taking no chances with the odds of Lossiemouth, but Willie Mullins may still prefer to keep his exciting mare separate from stablemate State Man, especially as last year’s Triumph Hurdle star is such a short-priced favourite for the Mares’ Hurdle. Owner Rich Ricci said after Lossiemouth’s latest Cheltenham success on Trials day: “We’ll go for the Mares’ Hurdle I think, and I think we learned last year that these four-year-olds turning five, it is very hard to run in open company.” Gordon Elliott could consider dropping Irish Point back from the Stayers’ Hurdle, with the Cullentra handler and owners Robcour also having Teahupoo at the head of the betting for that Thursday feature.

Nicky Henderson is not giving up hope of Constitution Hill being able to defend his Unibet Champion Hurdle crown and will have his unbeaten superstar “rescoped” again on Friday, after a below-par workout at Kempton Park on Tuesday put his participation in doubt.

As has become tradition, Henderson took several of his Festival contenders for a spin at the Sunbury circuit, including Constitution Hill, whose only start this season was in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Bookmakers were quick to suspend the betting markets in the wake of the work, and the Seven Barrows trainer told the PA news agency his superstar had scoped badly following it.

“Unfortunately, in a routine gallop this morning, Constitution Hill was very disappointing and it transpires, after the vet has scoped him, that there is evidence of mucus,” said Henderson.

“We’re taking a sample of it to a laboratory to analyse it, which will tell us about the significance of it and we should know more after that.

“Last week, he worked brilliantly and he was scoped 10 days ago, but these things happen, just like it did with him earlier in the year (having to miss Cheltenham on Trials day in January).

“Horses are like humans, look how many people had the awful cough around Christmas that took ages to get rid of.”

He went on: “The vets still think it could clear up in a week and all his serious work has been done already, whether he makes it (to Cheltenham) will depend on the severity of it.

“He was disappointing this morning working with Sir Gino (Triumph Hurdle favourite), who he has worked with in the past. He would normally go easily with him, but this morning he couldn’t, so Nico (de Boinville) realised all was not well and wasn’t hard on him.

“Obviously, the mucus was affecting him. He’s not coughing, he’s just got a dirty picture, as we say.

“I’m not saying definitely either way (about Cheltenham) and I’ll keep hoping. As you can imagine, it has come as a bit of a shock.”

Giving an update later on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Henderson said: “Following up on this morning’s situation with Constitution Hill, the sample from his tracheal wash has shown a small increase in the number of neutrophils which indicates a respiratory infection, which is significant but far from drastic.

“He will start a course of antibiotics immediately and we plan to rescope him on Friday in order to monitor which way this is going. He would only be having light exercise this week following this morning’s racecourse gallop.

“Both our own vet and the racecourse veterinary surgeon who scoped him feel we definitely have a chance of correcting this in time and we will be doing everything possible to do so. We have a fortnight to work him and it is possible, so we will keep everybody notified accordingly.

“He is absolutely fine within himself and we have simply got to get on top of this issue as quickly as possible.”

Having been the 1-4 favourite for the Champion Hurdle at the start of the day, by the afternoon Constitution Hill was significantly bigger at 5-4 with the sponsors, who make the Willie Mullins-trained State Man their 4-5 favourite. In their non-runner, money back betting market, Coral make State Man 4-7 and Constitution Hill 4-6.

Brighton have suffered a blow with the news that Kaoru Mitoma is expected to miss the rest of the season.

The Japan winger, who has lit up the Amex Stadium for much of the last two campaigns, has suffered a back injury which could leave him on the sidelines for three months.

He has already missed a chunk of the season due to an ankle injury and his participation in the Asia Cup.

Mitoma’s prolonged absence will be a big blow in the Seagulls’ quest for a top-six finish in the Premier League, their Europa League campaign – where they play Roma in the last 16 – and their FA Cup challenge, which continues at Wolves on Wednesday.

Boss Roberto De Zerbi said at a press conference to preview the trip to Molineux: “It’s a bad, bad situation. It’s the back injury which kept him out against Everton (at the weekend). It’s an important problem. I think two or three months, (so) finished (for) the season.”

The Seagulls will also be without Evan Ferguson (ankle) and Joel Veltman, while Danny Welbeck is a doubt and Billy Gilmour is suspended.

“Ferguson tomorrow, he can’t play,” De Zerbi added. “Welbeck has a problem and we have to make a check.

“Veltman as well can’t play and the other players injured can’t play.”

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp feels he needs “miracles” to get a number of his injured players back sooner rather than later.

Midfielder Ryan Gravenberch was the latest to be ruled out – for at least two matches – after he was carried off on a stretcher in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final victory over Chelsea.

But Wataru Endo is also a doubt for Wednesday’s FA Cup visit of Championship high-flyers Southampton after he left Wembley on crutches and wearing a protective boot, which would take the number of first-teamers unavailable to 13.

And Klopp admitted veteran midfielder Thiago Alcantara – who has made one five-minute substitute appearance since April – may not play again for the club as his contract expires in the summer.

Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai are closest to returning, but they may not be risked in the cup.

“We need miracles with a few players,” Klopp said. “I don’t want to rule them out for too long.

“But it is touch and go with a lot of players who were not available for the final: Darwin, Mo, Dom – we have to see what they can do (on Tuesday).

“In an ideal world you’d think about these kind of things but we obviously don’t live in an ideal world so we will see when the players arrive and they get checked.

“When the players arrive and I can look in their eyes and see who might be ready then I will make the line-up.”

Klopp is likely to have to rely on a number of the younger players who made such an impression at Wembley, with 19-year-olds Bobby Clark, son of former Newcastle midfielder Lee, and James McConnell likely to start against Saints.

Although the pair have made just one start apiece in cup competitions this season, Klopp has total faith in their ability to step up in the team’s hour of need – although he urged fans to make allowances for them.

“First and foremost, they don’t have to show anything. Our boys played in youth teams and under-21s and only came up recently and trained with us: absolutely nil experience but a lot of talent and they showed that,” he added.

“If you play more of them (against Southampton) from the start and we have a look and think, ‘Hmm, they are not as good as I thought on Sunday’, that would be horrendous so there is absolutely no pressure.

“All what these boys have to do is to really enjoy what they are doing. They have to defend like men, otherwise they cannot play.

“I saw them doing that (on Sunday) and it obviously helped and it gave confidence and there are so many things you cannot buy. Usually you need years for getting these kind of experiences that they got in a flash.

“It’s possible and a few of them have to start, that is clear, and if they do they will do the job and we all have to help them with celebrating the right things and not moaning about the wrong things.”

Following the capture of a record-extending 10th League Cup on Sunday, Liverpool have made tentative moves regarding an end-of-season parade.

It is not something they would not usually do for a victory in that competition but they want to mark the end of Klopp’s nine-year reign this summer.

“That is the one part which is not so cool that it could be seen as that (a farewell to him)” he said. “I don’t think that makes sense.

“But besides that, I am a big supporter of trophy parades and if there is a parade I will be on the bus, no doubt about that.”

Philippe Clement would welcome an England recall for Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland but knows Gareth Southgate needs to make that decision.

A Sky Sports report claimed the 30-year-old, who won the last of his nine caps in September 2018, is in contention for the Brazil and Belgium friendlies at Wembley in March ahead of the 2024 European Championships this summer.

Ahead of the cinch Premiership trip to Kilmarnock on Wednesday night – where Gers boss Clement revealed striker Kemar Roofe will not be considered because of the artificial surface – the Belgian said of the Butland report: “I would love that he would be there because he deserves, he is ready in that way.

“If he deserves enough, that is the decision of Southgate of course.

“He (Butland) has been really good for the team although he has had less to do in the last couple of weeks.

“But he keeps the same concentration, the same seriousness and he is important in the dressing room and in training, and he is going to be important in the next couple of weeks and months because we have a lot of games to go and a lot of important games where you need players with personality.”

Derek McInnes’ side have gone unbeaten in seven games in all competitions since losing 3-1 at Ibrox on January 2 and sit in fourth place.

Clement’s team are two points clear of Celtic at the top of the table but he is wary of the Ayrshire side’s form and their artificial surface providing a potential double-whammy to their title challenge.

He said: “It is a difficult challenge and we will approach the game with respect for the opponent but also respect for ourselves, to play our own game although you need to adapt to a totally different kind of football because of the pitch.

“I made the comparison with tennis. Playing at Wimbledon or on a clay court.

“It is a little bit like that, of course a different sport but the ball goes faster (on artificial turf) so you need to be a little bit more precise.

“On a grass pitch when you give a pass it slows down after a while. On artificial, it keeps its speed or goes even faster along the way.

“The ball bounces in a totally different way, also the way of turning, sprinting, stopping – a lot of things that are different but it is what it is.

“It is not easy but we did it before at Livingston and we need to do it again.

“The most important thing is getting three points but it will be a totally different game.

“We are going to go there with full focus but we know it is one of those dangerous moments, it can be a bump on the road.”

The British Horseracing Authority has welcomed the “valuable contributions” made by several ministers in Monday’s parliamentary debate into affordability checks.

It was the first chance for MPs to properly interrogate proposals of the implementation of the supposedly “frictionless” checks after 100,000 people signed an e-petition to trigger the debate.

Matt Hancock, who has Newmarket within his constituency, Connor McGinn, whose St Helens North constituency includes Haydock, and Philip Davies were among MPs to lay out arguments against the checks during the debate at Westminster Hall, and the BHA’s chief executive Julie Harrington was encouraged by the discussions.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Harrington said: “Yesterday’s debate on the impact of affordability checks on British racing has shone a light on a hugely important issue for our sport.

“It was vital that MPs were given proper parliamentary time to thoroughly interrogate the government’s proposals and we were encouraged by the high turnout for a Westminster Hall debate.

“Many MPs made valuable contributions to the debate, and we are sure that Sports Minister Stuart Andrew will have listened with interest to the views expressed.

“From MPs of all parties and all sides of the debate, there was a clear recognition of the need for the government to protect and support British racing when reviewing gambling legislation.

“If our sport is to remain a healthy industry, supporting jobs in the rural economy and remaining competitive with our international rivals, we hope that government will heed this advice.

“We were encouraged by Minister Andrew ruling out the use of job titles and postcodes in the implementation of enhanced spending checks and confirming that these changes will at least be subject to a genuine pilot.

“We will continue to make the case into the heart of government that the impact of these checks both on our industry and racing bettors needs to be carefully considered and look forward to further discussions on this important issue for British racing with the Gambling Commission and DCMS.”

In Monday’s debate, Andrew said both the government and Gambling Commission had listened to the points raised, although the proposals will proceed, with a pilot of enhanced checks running for “a minimum of four months, during which time the commission will consider all issues that arise”.

Andrew also underlined the concerns about the possible impact of the checks on racing are being taken “extremely seriously”.

Fergal O’Brien feels Dysart Enos has enjoyed the perfect preparation ahead of her bid to see off a formidable Irish challenge at the Cheltenham Festival next month.

The Malinas mare has yet to taste defeat in six starts under rules, with her three wins of last season supplemented by a hat-trick of victories over hurdles.

O’Brien’s team went to £95,000 to secure Dysart Enos’ services at the Goffs UK Aintree sale two years ago and the Ravenswell Farm handler had high hopes from the moment the hammer went down.

“Dysart has been phenomenal for us, she’s six from six and we loved her when we bought her,” he said.

“From day one I felt we had a good horse because Noel Fehily was underbidder and he and David Crosse are very shrewd judges. Noel actually brought her back from Aintree for us and rang me up and said ‘are you sure you’ve got someone for this mare’ and I said we definitely did!”

Seven months after being bought Dysart Enos made a winning debut under rules at Ludlow before getting the better of the highly-regarded Queens Gamble in Listed company at Market Rasen.

But it was her nine-length success in the Grade Two mares’ bumper at Aintree’s Grand National meeting that marked her down as a potential top-notcher.

O’Brien added: “The day we bought her I never envisaged this mare would take us where she has. To turn up at Ludlow on the first day, Connor (Brace) gave her a lovely ride and it’s very difficult to drop in behind 14 others at Ludlow and come through and beat the geldings and that race worked out well.

“We genuinely went to Market Rasen thinking we’d finish second to Queens Gamble. Paddy (Brennan) gave her a lovely ride, but I felt Market Rasen probably suited her and she had the speed for it.

“We rolled on to Aintree and that is where she really blew us away. It was a very good field, the form has worked out very well and she was phenomenal that day, the way she travelled through the race and Paddy was able to put her where he wanted.

“As soon as they got inside the last furlong and a half he was able to let her go and the way she opened up and quickened away from them was spectacular.”

Dysart Enos made a smooth transition to the jumping game at Huntingdon in November and the route she has taken since has been slightly unorthodox.

Rather than sticking to her own sex in Listed and graded races, she has gained some valuable experience of Cheltenham, beating the boys in December, before landing cramped odds in another novice event at Doncaster last month.

“Jumping hurdles we’ve planned our route to Cheltenham, rightly or wrongly,” said O’Brien.

“We’re going there without a 5lb penalty, which most winners have over the last few years, but we just felt if we could get away without having a 5lb penalty then surely that’s got to be better.

“The plan was always to start off at Huntingdon and then go to Newbury for the Listed race and none of the owners were at Cheltenham when she won, so I was very grateful they let us run there.

“She can be a bit hot and stressy, so it was important for her to go and see Cheltenham and have a walk round that paddock and come up that hill and see what’s in front of her.

“Hopefully we can get her there in one piece and I think if we do she’ll be in the mix.”

Despite her unbeaten record, Dysart Enos is only third in the betting for the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, with Gordon Elliott’s Brighterdaysahead and the Willie Mullins-trained Jade De Grugy also yet to taste defeat.

O’Brien respects the claims of both, but does not fear either.

He added: “Gordon’s horse does look phenomenal and Willie’s horse looks great, but there’s a couple of English horses there I wouldn’t rule out, Queens Gamble being one and Jeremy Scott’s horse (Golden Ace), who I was so impressed with round Taunton.

“We’ve ticked a lot of boxes as we’ve been round Cheltenham and she’s got a lot of speed. You’re hoping Gordon’s horse might want two and a half (miles) and we’ll have the legs on that one, that’s what we’re hoping anyway – you’ve got to cling to some bit of hope when Willie’s and Gordon’s horses are coming over!

“We certainly wouldn’t change anything that we’ve done this season. We’ll see on the day and give it our best shot.”

While Dysart Enos and Stayers’ Hurdle candidate appear the trainer’s two chief Festival contenders, he has a couple of others who could join them on the short trip to Prestbury Park.

Springtime Promise is three from three since joining O’Brien, most recently landing a Grade Two at Sandown, and may line up alongside Dysart Enos in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle if conditions are testing, while Teorie is considered a lively outsider in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

“It would want to come up soft or worse for Springtime Promise to run. She won over two and a half the other day at Sandown on heavy ground and she could go to Fairyhouse at Easter if it came up soft there,” said the trainer.

“We’ll take it right up to the day and see what the weather does. If it turned up soft she would have a fantastic chance as we haven’t seen the bottom of that mare yet and I could see her coming up that hill in great style.

“I love Teorie, I think he’s got a great attitude. He’s a big price, but he’s in great form. He disappointed a little bit at Musselburgh, but he won very well first time out and then he beat older horses next time at Southwell.

“He’s got a great attitude and loves racing and loves being a racehorse – he loves being amongst them.

“I’m hoping he’ll run very well.”

Mauricio Pochettino is confident he retains the backing of Chelsea’s owners but conceded his future was out of his hands after defeat in the Carabao Cup final increased scrutiny of his position.

The under-fire Argentinian said he had supportive conversations with the club’s co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali following Sunday’s 1-0 extra-time loss to Liverpool.

Defeat at Wembley sparked further criticism of Pochettino and his expensively-assembled squad – including scathing comments from Gary Neville – as they failed to overcome inexperienced rivals who were missing a host of star names.

Chelsea, who are languishing in 11th place in the Premier League and sit closer to the relegation zone than the top four, return to action on Wednesday evening at home to Championship club Leeds in the FA Cup fifth round.

“I said hello to the owners when I saw them in the stadium and after (the final) I met Behdad and we were talking,” said Blues boss Pochettino, who has lost forward Christopher Nkunku to another injury.

“We were sharing our opinions about the game and the opportunity we missed to win a trophy because I think we played really well during the 90 minutes.

“We created the best chances, we were not clinical enough but that is what has happened since the beginning of the season.

“They (the owners) showed their support and after the game, Todd sent a nice message.”

Asked if he would be given time to turn things around, Pochettino replied: “It’s not in my hands. We have a very good relationship with the owners, with the sporting director.

“It’s up to them to trust or not. It’s not the coach’s decision.”