Girona boosted their hopes of sealing a Champions League qualifying berth as they returned to winning ways with a 3-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano.

Viktor Tsygankov’s effort early in the second half and two injury-time strikes from Savio ensured the early LaLiga pace-setters snapped a run of two straight losses and leapfrogged Barcelona back into second place.

The ailing visitors, who went into the game without a win in six, had their chances but had Pep Chavarria sent off for two yellow cards in the 76th minute and slid to another disappointing defeat.

Girona had shown few early signs of ending their poor run of form with Paulo Gazzaniga called into action early as he raced from goal to deny Rayo striker Alvaro Garcia a one-on-one.

The hosts gradually improved and came close through Yangel Herrera who had a good shot blocked in the box, before Artem Dovbyk missed a golden opportunity when he was found unmarked in front of goal.

Tsygankov brought a fine save out of Rayo keeper Stole Dimitrievski in the 51st minute but notched the opener moments later when he swept home from a neat cut-back in the box by Miguel Gutierrez.

Dovbyk missed another glorious chance to add Girona’s second from point-blank range and it almost cost the hosts as the excellent Miguel Crespo played in Garcia who hit a poor shot that was easily saved by Gazzaniga.

Chavarria was dismissed for two yellow cards in as many minutes as Rayo’s frustrations began to tell, and after Dimitrievski saved well to deny Cristhian Stuani, Savio put some gloss on the final scoreline with a well-taken double in added time.

A number of MPs called for ministers to reconsider affordability checks during in a debate at Westminster Hall on Monday.

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.

Gambling minister Stuart Andrew said both the government and Gambling Commission had listened to the points, 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”.

He said: “I am clear that we must ensure that the checks do not adversely affect racing or those who work in the sector, or interrupt the customer journey.

“They also must not push away high-net-worth individuals such as owners and trainers that invest in the sport.

“The Gambling Commission has worked very closely with operators to explore the practical aspects of implementing the checks, and colleagues have said that they have seen an improved relationship between the commission and the industry. The commission has also been carefully considering responses to the consultation, which have helped to shape the implementation plans.

“We want to protect those at risk – I make no apology for our doing that – with minimal disruption to the majority, who I recognise bet on horseracing with no ill effect.”

Shadow gambling minister Stephanie Peacock called for the government to outline how it could ensure checks are “accurate, frictionless and non-intrusive for consumers”.

“I think there is a consensus over the need to update our regulation so that vulnerable people are better protected from gambling harms in the modern age,” she said.

“But at the same time it is the punters, racing and the gambling industry that deserves some clarity on how the government will ensure affordability checks are carried out with accuracy and in a way that does not cause unnecessary friction for those gambling responsibly.”

Jarrod Bowen scored a hat-trick as West Ham beat bogey side Brentford 4-2 to ease the pressure on David Moyes.

The Hammers won their first match of 2024, with Bowen scoring his first goals since before Christmas, to end a miserable run of eight games without a victory which had prompted more questions about the manager’s future.

Played five, lost five was their sorry Premier League record against Brentford, the only team of the 43 Moyes had faced in the top flight and not previously beaten.

Finally the rot was stopped as Brentford, already plunged deeper into the relegation scrap earlier on Monday following Everton’s points deduction being reduced from 10 to six, suffered another defeat – their 12th in 15 matches since beating West Ham at home in November.

Where this West Ham have been for the past two months is anyone’s guess. They should have led after only three minutes when James Ward-Prowse flicked on Vladimir Coufal’s cross, only for Tomas Soucek to blaze over from six yards out.

But moments later they did go ahead when Ward-Prowse sent Emerson Palmieri down the left wing.

The Italian defender pulled the ball back for Bowen, who took a touch before lashing his shot past Mark Flekken.

Bowen, who had not scored a Premier League goal in seven matches, suddenly had two inside the first seven minutes.

This time Coufal found the England hopeful 10 yards out and he calmly slotted past Flekken to double the lead.

But the Bees were stung into action and responded in the 13th minute through Neal Maupay, who stole in to score his fifth goal in as many starts against the Hammers.

West Ham looked for a third before half-time, but Soucek missed his kick in front of goal, fit-again Lucas Paqueta volleyed wide and a Mohammed Kudus drive was held by Flekken.

It had not been a particularly niggly half, but Maupay, Brentford’s premier wind-up merchant, seemed to say something which riled Hammers coach Kevin Nolan as they came back out of the tunnel, with Bees defender Mathias Jorgensen separating the pair.

Ivan Toney was inches away from an equaliser when he just failed to get a touch to an inviting cross from Keane Lewis-Potter.

Instead, in the 64th minute, Bowen completed his treble – the first by a West Ham player at the London Stadium – with a simple header from Kudus’ cross.

Home keeper Alphonse Areola saved a Frank Onyeka volley down low at his near post before the Hammers grabbed their fourth in style.

Another Kudus cross was headed out to Emerson, 20 yards out, and the full-back launched a rocket past Flekken into the top corner.

Bees substitute Yoane Wissa pulled another back late on and Areola denied Toney in stoppage time as West Ham held on for a win which was almost as impressive as it was unexpected.

Ellis Simms ended Maidstone’s FA Cup fairytale as his first-half hat-trick helped fire Coventry into the quarter-finals.

The striker’s treble and Fabio Tavares’ late double sent the Sky Blues into the last eight for the first time since 2009 after a 5-0 win.

It was a disappointing climax to the Stones’ historic Cup run, which had seen them win seven ties – including knocking out Barrow, Stevenage and Ipswich – to become the first team outside the top five divisions to reach the fifth round since Blyth Spartans in 1978.

George Elokobi’s National League South side became heroes following their fourth-round win at Portman Road but there was never any danger of a repeat at Coventry.

The Sky Blues were determined to avoid suffering the same fate as their Championship rivals, with Mark Robins’ men rampant from the start and 2-0 up inside 15 minutes.

Haji Wright forced Lucas Covolan into early action before Simms fired them into a ninth-minute lead.

Reiss Greenidge’s loose pass was seized on by Liam Kelly and he found Kasey Palmer to slip in Simms, who confidently beat Covolan.

The striker then netted his fourth goal in four games six minutes later, again combining with Palmer to drill in a low angled effort from 15 yards.

Maidstone, who lost 2-0 to Aveley on Saturday to leave them eighth in National League South, were outclassed and outgunned.

A rare Liam Sole effort dropped over but the visitors were contained by their hosts, who had moved into cruise control following Simms’ brace.

As their pace dropped, so did the amount of chances although Tavares dragged wide from 25 yards, until Simms completed his hat-trick 10 minutes before the break.

Again Palmer was the creator when his first-time volley from 35 yards caught out Covolan and the goalkeeper could only parry it into the path of Simms, who rammed in from four yards.

It was game over and half-time substitute Callum O’Hare went searching for another four minutes after the restart only to shoot straight at Covolan.

The goalkeeper turned Palmer’s strike away just after the hour and gathered Josh Eccles’ shot but the game had already begun to lose momentum.

Yet Coventry still found time to score twice late on through Tavares.

The midfielder rifled in from Matty Godden’s pass with two minutes left before he followed up in stoppage time to net after Covolan parried Godden’s effort.

The playoff-chasing Golden State Warriors will have Chris Paul back in the lineup on Tuesday night when they visit a Washington Wizards team that’s mired in an 11-game losing streak.

Paul has not played since he sustained a fractured left hand on Jan. 5 against the Detroit Pistons and underwent surgery three days later.

The 38-year-old Paul is averaging 8.9 points, 7.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.13 steals in 32 games in his first season with Golden State.

The Warriors went 12-9 after Paul’s injury and are 29-27 on the season.

Golden State leads the Utah Jazz by three games for 10th place in the Western Conference and a berth in the NBA Play-In Tournament.

Bayern Munich have confirmed the appointment of former RB Leipzig sporting director Max Eberl to the club’s board.

The 50-year-old – who came through the Bayern youth ranks and made one senior appearance – will start his new role with the Bundesliga champions on March 1 and has signed a contract until June 2027.

Former Germany Under-21 defender Eberl went on to have spells at Bochum and Greuther Furth before signing with Borussia Monchengladbach, where he later moved into coaching and then became director of sport.

Eberl moved to a similar position at RB Leipzig in December 2022, but was relieved of his duties at the club just nine months later.

“I spent my entire childhood and youth at FC Bayern and in Munich, so it’s something special for me to return in a new role to the club where it all began,” Eberl said on the Bayern Munich website.

“The job as board member for sport is a great challenge, which I will approach with a lot of respect and humility, but with even more anticipation.

“Together with everyone here, I want to do everything I can to ensure that FC Bayern continues to be successful in the future and brings joy to its fans.”

Bayern announced the club’s executive board would consist of three positions from July 1 – a chief executive, a chief financial and sales officer as well as a board member for sport, which will be Eberl’s role.

James Owen’s Triumph Hurdle hope Burdett Road has been ruled out of the contest by an injury that will sideline him for the remainder of the season.

The four-year-old was formerly trained by Michael Bell on the Flat, winning the Golden Gates Stakes at Royal Ascot last season and reaching a peak rating of 101 after a third-placed finish in the Winter Hill.

He was then gelded and turned his attention to hurdling for Owen, winning his debut by 12 lengths at Huntingdon before claiming a Cheltenham Grade Two next time out.

Burdett Road returned to the same track last month to contest the Triumph Trial and was this time beaten by Nicky Henderson’s very highly-regarded Sir Gino, though connections were still keen to let him take his chance in the main event come March.

That plan has now been scuppered by injury, meaning the horse will not only miss the Cheltenham Festival but will also sit out the rest of the season.

Owen confirmed the news via X, saying: “Burdett Road has unfortunately picked up a setback and will miss the remainder of the season.”

Andy Murray hinted he was heading into the “last few months” of his tennis career after battling from a set down to beat Denis Shapovalov in Dubai to secure his second win of 2024.

The three-time grand slam champion has been forced to fend off retirement talk following a string of first-round defeats and looked set for another early exit when Shapovalov, a former top 10 player, took the opening set.

Murray had struggled to breach the serve of his 24-year-old Canadian opponent, but produced a trademark gutsy display to edge a second-set tie-breaker before keeping his composure to break twice in the decider and secure a 4-6 7-6 (5) 6-3 win after two hours and 33 minutes.

Victory saw Murray become only the fifth man in the Open Era to claim 500 tour-level wins on a hard court and he will face either fifth seed Ugo Humbert or wild card Gael Monfils in the second round.

However, rather than his match-up against one of the two Frenchman, it was the 36-year-old Scot’s longer-term future which was again a hot topic following his win, with Murray admitting he probably does not have “too long left” in the sport.

“People read a lot into what I say on the court sometimes and it’s not always rational,” Murray said.

“I obviously still love competing and still love the game, but it gets harder and harder the older you get to compete with the young guys and keep your body fit and fresh.

“Not easy, I probably don’t have too long left, but I’ll do as best as I can these last few months.”

Murray won his most recent meeting against Shapovalov, but that was in 2022 and he entered this match in torrid form with only one win this year.

Shapovalov signalled his intent with three aces in his opening service game before the duo traded a number of early holds.

The first break point opportunity did not occur until the ninth game and, while Murray saved it at 15-40 down, Shapovalov outlasted the Scot in a lengthy rally on the next point to move 5-4 up.

Murray let his frustration show after his wayward backhand gifted Shapovalov the initiative and chucked his racket at the court before the Canadian closed out the opener with two more aces.

Former world number one Murray produced a strong response at the start of the second set and remarkably produced three successful challenges on his serve.

Murray followed that up with a first break point opportunity and, while it came and went, the 36-year-old did break Shapovalov at the next time of asking to move 3-1 up.

Shapovalov had sent down two double-faults to aid Murray’s cause, but hit back immediately with a break of his own before he consolidated it after a 10-minute service game which included a 137mph ace.

Murray had to display his battling skills to keep the second set on serve at 4-4 and a tie-breaker was ultimately required, which the Scot edged to win a marathon 75-minute set.

Shapovalov’s serve had let him down towards the end of the second set and his struggles continued with two double-faults to begin the third.

It handed Murray the ascendancy and he took full advantage to claim a confidence-boosting 500th hard-court win of his career.

Murray said: “It’s not bad. Obviously hard court has been a great surface for me over the years and 500 is a lot of matches so I’m very proud of that.

“There are not many players that have done that, so great to get to 500 before I’m done.”

An emotional-sounding Murray finished his on-court interview by trying to point out his father in the crowd, saying: “My dad’s come to support me this week which means a lot.”

Captain Teague is more likely to take his chance in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle than contest the Baring Bingham at Cheltenham, unless the ground is testing.

Barring a deluge during the Festival, Paul Nicholls thinks the three-mile contest will be right up the street of the six-year-old, who finished third in the Champion Bumper 12 months ago.

He has added the Grade One Challow Hurdle to his record this season and given how strongly he stayed on that day at Newbury, Nicholls can see him coming home powerfully up the hill.

“He’s obviously a smart horse. He won on his debut in a bumper at Plumpton then went to Cheltenham where he finished third, not beaten far,” said the Ditcheat handler.

“On his debut over hurdles he won the Persian War at Chepstow, then ran well at Cheltenham when he was second. I think Harry (Cobden) learned quite a lot about him and he didn’t jump as well as he might.

“He went to the Challow at Christmas when he stayed on dourly and won very nicely. He’s obviously smart, he’ll work with Bravemansgame on Tuesday at Kempton, it will be nothing flashy but he hasn’t run since Newbury so it’s a day out.

“He’s in the two races, the Baring Bingham and Albert Bartlett. It will come down to the ground, so it will be a late decision. I’m convinced the way he stays on in his races, that trip (three miles) will suit him well and he’ll stay on up the hill.

“No final decision yet but if the ground is normal Cheltenham ground, we’re slightly favouring the Albert Bartlett. He’s on a par with Stay Away Fay who won it last year and possibly has a little more boot than him. He’ll make an awesome chaser next season.”

In the same Johnny de la Hey colours is Teeshan, well fancied for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper after winning easily on his debut for the yard at Exeter recently.

“We’ve taken the decision to go to the bumper, he’s obviously a talented horse. What he beat, who knows, but last year Captain Teague was in a similar situation having won his bumper at Plumpton and he finished third and won a Grade One hurdle this year. On his homework he’s very much on a par with Captain Teague,” Nicholls added.

“We don’t know much about him but everyone will after the bumper. He loves soft ground and I’d say next year he’ll end up doing what Captain Teague has done, that sort of route. He’s a very smart, young horse. He’s so laid back, the occasion won’t bother him.

“Quebecois is a nice horse who will run in the bumper too. He’s a half-brother to Brindisi Breeze (who won the Albert Bartlett for Lucinda Russell). He’ll be a lovely novice hurdler next year and he’s a seriously nice horse.”

Liari looks like running in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle with a big weight, rather than taking on the best in the division in the Triumph Hurdle.

“Liari is a nice horse, a juvenile and he’s won all three,” said Nicholls.

“He’s got two options, the Boodles on the first day off a mark of 134, and he’s in the Triumph.

“Sir Gino is rated 145 so he’d have to improve the best part of 10lb to compete with him, so I suspect if he goes anywhere, he’ll run in the Boodles

“The other option is to wait for the Grade One at Aintree but that would mean clashing with Kalif Du Berlais, if he goes there.”

Paul Nicholls is heading to this year’s Cheltenham Festival with a streamlined squad that looks strongest in the novice chase department, with Ginny’s Destiny and Stay Away Fay holding leading claims in their respective races.

The champion trainer might only send a dozen horses into battle against the Irish juggernauts of Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott, but Ginny’s Destiny currently heads the ante-post markets for the Turners Novices’ Chase and Stay Away Fay is prominent in the betting for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.

Unbeaten in his last three starts over fences at Prestbury Park, Nicholls admits to being surprised at just how much Ginny’s Destiny has progressed.

“He’s probably one of the most improved horses in training, arguably. He’s won his last three, all at Cheltenham, and he was very good on Festival Trials day,” he said.

“I think he’s almost favourite for the Turners, he loves Cheltenham, he’s made all in his last three, he stays well and would probably stay three miles but we haven’t gone that far yet.

“What I like about him is he’s a solid horse, he jumps well, he goes a good gallop and keeps galloping, he’s a smart animal.

“It’s always hard to pick out your best chance but he has to be one of them because he’s so solid and I think he’s still improving.

“I’d say he’s every bit as good as Stage Star (winner of the Turners last year) and I think he’s rated higher than he was going into the race last year.

“Dan (Skelton) is adamant his horse (Grey Dawning) would have beaten him the first day at Cheltenham without the mistake but I’m not convinced, and jumping is the name of the game. His form has worked out and he keeps on improving.

“Willie has said Fact To File goes for the other race, but we were either taking him on with this lad or Stay Away Fay so it made no difference to us.”

Stay Away Fay already has a Festival win to his name in last season’s Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle and while he lost his unbeaten record over fences against his elders in the Cotswold Chase, Nicholls felt he enhanced his reputation.

“He’s had a good season. He won the Albert Bartlett last season having been beaten at Doncaster the time before and improved enormously from that run. I’m hoping we can do the same again from when he ran on Trials day,” said Nicholls.

“He won first time out at Exeter, he won very well at Sandown and then ran a good race in the Cotswold Chase in a muddling race which turned into a sprint – at the weights he ran well, so we were pleased with that.

“I’d have preferred the Brown Advisory to be on the New Course, the stiffer track as he’s all about stamina and that experience won’t be lost on him, he’ll improve an awful lot.

“Running in the Cotswold did him no harm at all. I could have run him in a novice chase and won easily but learned nothing about him, so it will stand him in good stead. It was all about experience, we never went into it thinking he’d win, just thinking he’d run well.

“He’ll take on Fact To File and plenty of other good ones but you expect that at Cheltenham. He’s all about stamina, he’ll keep on learning and he’s in good shape at the moment.”

Everton are up to 15th in the Premier League after their penalty for breaching the competition’s financial rules was reduced to six points on appeal, but they face the threat of further sanction with a second case still to be heard.

An independent appeal board set aside the 10-point sanction originally imposed by a commission in November for breaching league profitability and sustainability rules (PSR), with the new reduced penalty lifting the Toffees’ points tally from 21 to 25.

Everton said they were “satisfied” the appeal had resulted in a reduction in the points penalty, but the club are not wholly out of the woods and could have a further points sanction imposed in relation to a second PSR complaint which was laid on January 15.

That one has to be completely concluded before June 1 – the date when promoted clubs receive their Premier League ‘shares’.

It is also unclear whether the club may face compensation claims related to the first PSR breach. A ruling published at the time of the original 10-point penalty said five clubs – Burnley, Leeds, Leicester, Nottingham Forest and Southampton – had 28 days from written receipt of a copy of the decision against Everton to pursue a claim.

None of those clubs confirmed whether they had pursued a claim when contacted by the PA news agency last week. One of them, Forest, have had a PSR complaint lodged against them since the original sanction was issued against Everton.

The reduced six-point penalty for Everton relates to breaching PSR in the assessment period up to the 2021-22 season. The appeal board rejected seven grounds for mitigation put forward by Everton but did find the original commission made legal errors.

The first of those was in relation to club representations to the Premier League in August 2022 over stadium debt, which the original commission said were “less than frank”.

While the appeal board found these representations were “materially wrong”, it accepted that it had never been the Premier League’s case that this was anything other than an innocent mistake by Everton.

Similarly, the appeal board said a breach of Premier League rule B.15, which requires clubs to act in utmost good faith, was never part of the original complaint against the club.

“The first time rule B.15 appeared was in the commission’s decision,” the appeal board ruling stated.

The appeal board also found it was wrong of the commission not to take into account available benchmarks for sanction, such as EFL guidelines.

The appeal board revealed it considered other possible sanctions, such as a fine or a ban on registering players, but concluded a points deduction was warranted.

“The unfair advantage achieved by a breach may include a financial advantage over other clubs, but it is most immediately a sporting advantage and consequently the sanction for breach can legitimately focus on sporting disadvantage,” the appeal board decision said.

The reduction in penalty means Luton are now four points from safety in the Premier League, but their manager Rob Edwards accepted the issue was out of the Hatters’ hands.

Forest drop to 17th, and their manager Nuno Espirito Santo said: “Regarding the hearing and the decision, we are waiting.

“There are people in the club that are taking care of that. So these questions are not appropriate for me.”

Everton released a statement following the publication of the revised sanction.

“While the club is still digesting the appeal board’s decision, we are satisfied our appeal has resulted in a reduction in the points sanction,” the statement read.

“We understand the appeal board considered the 10-point deduction originally imposed to be inappropriate when assessed against the available benchmarks of which the club made the commission aware, including the position under the relevant EFL regulations, and the nine-point deduction that is imposed under the Premier League’s own rules in the event of insolvency.

“The club is also particularly pleased with the appeal board’s decision to overturn the original commission’s finding that the club failed to act in utmost good faith.

“That decision, along with reducing the points deduction, was an incredibly important point of principle for the club on appeal. The club, therefore, feels vindicated in pursuing its appeal.”

The club said they remain fully committed to co-operating with the Premier League in respect of the second complaint, which relates to a PSR breach in the assessment period up to the end of the 2022-23 season.

If clubs breach PSRs in consecutive seasons, they can provide evidence and make submissions to the independent commission hearing their case that any crossover should be treated as a mitigating factor.

Labour MP Ian Byrne, who tabled an early day motion in the House of Commons in response to the initial 10-point deduction, wrote on X: “I was proud to be able to take the fight against Everton’s disproportionate & unfair penalty to Parliament and am pleased to see their points deduction reduced today.”

Gordon Elliott is under no illusions about the task facing Gerri Colombe as he bids to turn the tables on the “awesome” Galopin Des Champs in next month’s Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The Willie Mullins-trained Galopin Des Champs was a brilliant winner of the race last season and while he was beaten on his next couple of starts, he has roared back to his best with victories in both the Savills Chase and Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

Gerri Colombe, a three-time Grade One-winning novice last term and narrowly denied Festival glory by The Real Whacker, made a successful start to his first campaign in open company in the Champion Chase at Down Royal in November, but was firmly put in his place Galopin Des Champs over the festive period.

And while Elliott is adamant his star stayer was not at his best in the Savills Chase, he acknowledges a 23-length deficit is a huge gap to bridge.

“Gerri Colombe is in good form. I think Galopin Des Champs has been awesome this year, I don’t know how we’re going to beat him, but I think we’re better than we were in Leopardstown the last day,” he said.

“For me he didn’t run his race in the Savills. He wouldn’t have been second I don’t think with another 100 yards.

“We’ve always counted him as a bit of a mud lover, but I think the better the ground, the better the chance he’ll have.

“He really stays, he’s not flashy and doesn’t do anything fancy, but he looks great and we’ve been training him for one day.”

The Cullentra handler is preparing to fire a twin assault at the Ryanair Chase, with both Conflated and Fil Dor set to line up.

Conflated was third in the Gold Cup last season, but having unseated Jack Kennedy at the final fence in both the Savills Chase and the Irish Gold Cup this winter, he is set to drop back in distance.

Fil Dor, on the other hand, will step up in trip having finished second behind Dinoblue and star two-miler El Fabiolo in his last two races.

The latter will carry the colours of Robcour for the first time at Cheltenham after being sold to stay in the yard for €620,000 as part of Andy and Gemma Brown’s recent dispersal.

Elliott said: “Conflated has unshipped his jockey the last two runs at the last, but he was actually running a good race both days.

“He’s a bit of a boyo, he’s got a big engine but there’s been a quirk in him since day one.

“Fil Dor will also go for the Ryanair. He got a fright last year in Leopardstown and he never jumped a fence after it, but his two runs this year I thought were very good.

“I think a step up in trip will suit him. He has to improve, but he’s going the right way and has an each-way chance.”

Found A Fifty will bid to give Elliott a first ever victory in the Arkle Trophy after being beaten a neck by Il Etait Temps in the Irish equivalent at the Dublin Racing Festival.

“He did nothing wrong in Leopardstown apart from getting beat. He’s maturing the whole time and I thought he was more settled than he was the time before,” Elliott added.

“There is a little kink in him, but he’s got an engine.”

Zanahiyr, third in last season’s Champion Hurdle, is set to return to Cheltenham for a first run over fences at the meeting in the Turners’ Novices’ Chase.

Elliott understandably has high hopes of landing the Glenfarclas Chase for the sixth time in eight years, with dual winner Delta Work set to be renew rivalry with last year’s runner-up Galvin and Coko Beach a potential third major contender if the ground is soft for the cross-country event.

Hopes are also high for Salvador Ziggy in the National Hunt Chase, while Riviere D’Etel is considered a “big price” by her trainer for the Mares’ Chase.

Andy Murray dug deep to secure a second win of 2024 with a 4-6 7-6 (5) 6-3 victory over Denis Shapovalov in the first round of the Dubai Open.

The three-time grand-slam champion has been forced to fend off retirement talk following a string of first-round defeats and looked set for another when Shapovalov, a former top-10 player, claimed the opening set.

Murray had struggled to breach the serve of his 24-year-old opponent, but produced a trademark gutsy display to edge a second-set tie-breaker and kept his composure to break twice in the decider to secure a much-needed win after two hours and 33 minutes.

The most recent meeting between the duo went to Murray, but that was in 2022 and he entered this match in torrid form with only one win this year.

Shapovalov signalled his intent with three aces in his opening service game before the duo traded a number of early holds.

The first break point opportunity did not occur until the ninth game and, while Murray saved it at 15-40 down, Shapovalov outlasted the Scot in a lengthy rally on the next point to move 5-4 up.

Murray let his frustration show after his wayward backhand gifted Shapovalov the initiative and chucked his racket at the court before the Canadian closed out the opener with two more aces.

Former world number one Murray produced a strong response at the start of the second set and remarkably produced three successful challenges on his serve.

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Buoyed by his eagle-eyes, Murray followed this up with a first break point opportunity and, while it came and went, the 36-year-old did break Shapovalov at the next time of asking to move 3-1 up.

Shapovalov had sent down two double-faults to aid Murray’s cause, but hit back immediately with a break of his own before he consolidated it after a 10-minute service game which included a 137mph ace.

Murray had to display his trademark battling skills to keep the second set on serve at 4-4 and a tie-breaker was ultimately required.

Several mini-breaks followed, but it was Murray who made sure the match went the distance after he edged a marathon 75-minute set with an excellent trade-off with Shapovalov after he came into the net.

Shapovalov’s serve had let him down towards the end of the second set and his struggles continued with two double-faults to begin the third.

It handed Murray the ascendancy and he was able to consolidate with a succession of quick holds to move within sight of a precious victory.

Murray had to work hard to hold in the eighth game of the decider and it broke Shapovalov’s resistance with the Canadian broken again to hand the Briton a confidence-boosting 500th hard-court win of his career.