Karl Burke’s Cuban Tiger added to the trainer’s smart crop of three-year-olds when just getting the better of Sayedaty Sadaty in the BetMGM Burradon Stakes at Newcastle.

Owned by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, who has moved the majority of his string to Burke’s Leyburn stables, the Havana Grey colt looked to have plenty to do on the official figures with a rating of just 87.

However, he had only had two runs, winning on his debut and just losing out to Charlie Appleby’s Notable Speech last time out – and he had clearly improved for that experience.

Appleby’s unbeaten Silent Age looked a major contender but he did his chances no favours by becoming upset in the stalls and it was Oisin Murphy on Sayedaty Sadaty who tried to dictate.

Despite at one stage looking like being swallowed up, Sayedaty Sadaty gamely stuck to his task but while the favourite Orne and Silent Age dropped away, it was Clifford Lee and Cuban Tiger who challenged last and got the verdict by a neck.

Burke already has a smart three-year-old cold in Night Raider, while his Fallen Angel is strongly fancied for the 1000 Guineas.

“We were hoping he’d run really well, but you never know what you’re taking on with two-year-olds coming into their three-year-old career,” said Burke.

“The Gosden horse (Orne) looked pretty strong and the Godolphin horse (Silent Age) fluffed the start, but I knew we had the horse that was better than his rating, so I wasn’t worried about handicaps and it was just a question of how good he was.

“He loves that surface and he’s a good moving horse, I don’t think he’d want too softer ground. We’ll discuss with Sheikh Mohammed Obaid where we go next.

“He’s a lovely horse who is still green. I don’t think he needs to go further than a mile at the moment.

“We’ve got a big team of three-year-olds and some real nice stuff there, so fingers crossed they can all stay in one piece.”

On Night Raider, he added: “He came out of Southwell really well and he’s a lovely horse. You’d have to say he’s got more gears than this fella, that’s for sure.

“He’s a very good horse, whatever he does. It’s a massive step up from two Southwell novices to a 2000 Guineas, but at the moment he deserves to be in it and his future is ahead of him beyond the Guineas.

“That (racecourse gallop at the Craven meeting) is Plan A and I’ve got to discuss it with Steve (Parkin, owner). Steve is very keen not to have a run and just go for the gallop, but when Danny (Tudhope) jumped off him at Southwell, he felt he was still very green.

“For me, another race would do him the world of good, but at the moment it’s a racecourse gallop, with probably an entry in the seven-furlong conditions race and we’ll just see what that looks like.”

Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso has committed his future to the Bundesliga leaders for another season to quash talk of a potential summer switch to Liverpool or Bayern Munich.

The 42-year-old former Reds midfielder has guided Leverkusen through an unbeaten season so far as they boast a 10-point advantage over reported suitors Bayern, with Liverpool also having been linked with the Spaniard in their search for outgoing manager Jurgen Klopp’s successor.

But speaking at his Friday press conference, Alonso said: “This is the right place for me to be. I will stay at Bayer.”

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is confident Kobbie Mainoo can deal with the hype following his impressive full England debut.

Just four months on from making his first Premier League start, the 18-year-old put in a man-of-the-match performance in Tuesday’s 2-2 draw against Belgium at Wembley.

Mainoo had not even been included in the initial England squad but followed a promising debut off the bench against Brazil by potentially earning a spot at Euro 2024 with his display against Belgium.

That performance has taken the midfielder’s stock to new heights but Ten Hag is confident the success will not go to his head.

“I thought it was very good, but we are not surprised,” the United boss said. “We have seen what he is capable of, that he can very quickly adapt to high levels. It looks very natural.

“We are very happy for him and of course a little bit proud. I would say very proud.

“It’s great for the academy of Manchester United that they bring up a player so young going into the national team. That is a big compliment for the whole club.

“I think definitely in the first place for himself because he did it.

“But also for all the ones who worked with him during his time in the academy, so it’s very good news for Manchester United.”

Asked if he has to manage the hype around Mainoo, Ten Hag said: “Yes, but we have discussed this before and so far he handles it very well.

“If he crosses the line, yeah, of course I as a manager, we as coaches, will interfere.

“But so far it’s not necessary because he enjoys football, he wants to win, he wants to give his best every day because he want to improve.

“As I say, he just wants to have fun on the pitch. For him, it’s fun to play dominant, to dictate the game and to win the game.”

Mainoo was conspicuous by his absence from United’s training photos on Thursday as Ten Hag’s side gear up for the Saturday evening trip to Brentford.

The Red Devils head to the capital looking to kick on after the jaw-dropping 4-3 extra-time win against Liverpool in their FA Cup quarter-final before the international break.

That win gives United a pep in their step, as does the impending return of centre-back Lisandro Martinez after two months out with a knee injury.

“Yes, there is a chance (Martinez is involved on Saturday),” Ten Hag said.

“We missed him every game because he brings a composure in the team, a calmness in the team.

“And at the same time, a winning attitude and he can express this very clearly, he can transfer this into the team and that contributes a lot to our levels.”

Questions remain over the fitness of Harry Maguire, Casemiro and Jonny Evans, among others, while Amad Diallo joins United’s long-term absentees on the sidelines for the weekend.

Luke Shaw is among those and faces a race against time to make England’s Euro 2024 squad, but Ten Hag expects him back in a United shirt before the end of the campaign.

“Yes, I expect him back before the end of the season,” Ten Hag said. “That is the plan and he’s still on schedule on this. He will return to our team.”

Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane has been passed fit for Saturday’s showdown with arch rivals Borussia Dortmund at Allianz Arena.

Kane suffered an ankle injury in Bayern’s Bundesliga victory over Darmstadt earlier this month, but still joined up with the England squad for the recent international break.

The England captain sat out the team’s loss to Brazil at Wembley last Saturday and returned to Germany after being released early from the national squad.

After the former Spurs striker was able to resume light training with Bayern on Monday, club boss Thomas Tuchel has now confirmed he will face Dortmund in this weekend’s ‘Klassiker’ in Munich.

“Harry trained fully with the team yesterday, has stepped things up each day. It’s all fine, he’ll play,” Tuchel told reporters on Friday.

The prognosis for Manuel Neuer is not as positive with the veteran goalkeeper still absent after he tore a muscle in his left adductor during training with Germany last week.

Tuchel did confirm Neuer is expected to return for the trip to Heidenheim on April 6, which would raise the prospect of the 38-year-old being available for their Champions League quarter-final fixtures with Arsenal.

Tuchel said: “Manuel Neuer is out.

“It’s nothing to do with risk. The pain is simply too great. We hope a week is enough and he’ll be in goal against Heidenheim.

“Aleks Pavlovic is unfortunately not available. Raphael Guerreiro also isn’t back yet, and Sacha Boey got injured during the week.”

Bayern welcome fourth-placed Dortmund with a 10-point deficit to try and cut to Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen, who host Hoffenheim on Saturday.

Yet Tuchel played down any suggestion his team could lack motivation and pointed to the importance of the fixture.

“The break in March always comes at an unfortunate time as you’re preparing for the end of the season. Everyone’s fighting for position in the decisive weeks. Now it’s time to show what we’re about,” the former Dortmund boss said.

“The table is how it is, but we can win the Klassiker. It’s an emotional game, an important game in the Bundesliga with a big rivalry and history.

“I’m expecting an opponent that wants to win. Dortmund are very good in attack, very flexible up front.

“They want to have the ball. It’ll be an open game. That’s what we think. There’s a good mood and atmosphere. We were very good in attack in recent games. We want to win.”

Limestone Lad, one of the most popular Irish hurdlers of the modern era, has died at the age of 32.

Trained, owned and bred by the late James Bowe, Limestone Lad won 35 of his 65 races during a six-year career that featured four victories in Grade One company.

Three of those top-level triumphs were achieved in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse, most famously beating a familiar foe in the brilliant three-time Champion Hurdle winner Istabraq when bagging his first win in the race in 1999.

His other Grade One success was achieved in the 2002 Champion Stayers’ Hurdle at Punchestown, while he was also narrowly beaten in the 2003 Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown by Like-A-Butterfly and was twice placed in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

“It is a sad day, Limestone Lad was a one-off and he actually died in the field he was reared in,” said Bowe’s son and long-time assistant, Michael.

“He was a great horse who for whatever reason captured the public’s imagination. He was a bit like Robin Hood as he took from the rich and gave to the poor!

“Beating Istabraq in the Hatton’s Grace was a big day, but there were lots of good days. I remember him winning the Morgiana in Punchestown one year when he looked well beaten and somehow fought back to get back up – it had to be seen to be believed.

“He wore his heart on his sleeve and whenever he ran there was nowhere to hide for the opposition. He was a one-off and I only wish I was able to clone him.

“It is sad that he’s gone, but he had a great retirement and he enjoyed every minute – and we’ve still got the memories…and the trophies!”

Ascot Gold Cup runner-up Coltrane bids for a big-race victory on the international stage in a Dubai Gold Cup stacked with staying talent at Meydan on Saturday.

Owned by Mick and Janice Mariscotti, the Andrew Balding-trained seven-year-old has been an ever-present in the top marathon events over the past few seasons and was consistent as ever last term.

Winner of the Sagaro Stakes in May, he returned to Ascot to go down by less than a length at the Royal meeting, but turned the tables on Gold Cup hero Courage Mon Ami when landing the Lonsdale Cup at York in the summer.

Although not at his best in the closing stages of 2023, he is primed for action in the Middle East, with his big-race pilot Oisin Murphy full of respect for the opposition which features plenty of well-known names.

He said: “Coltrane has travelled to Dubai really well and Maddy O’Meara (Balding’s assistant) has been cantering him every day.

“It’s a really hot contest and there’s Trawlerman, Siskany, Eldar Eldarov, Giavellotto, Tower Of London and that’s with probably leaving some out – it’s a really competitive race.

“It’s a really competitive renewal of the race, but he’s beaten many of them before.”

The likely favourite is Aidan O’Brien’s Red Sea Handicap winner Tower Of London, who will bid to supplement his Saudi success over Ian Williams’ Enemy.

O’Brien said: “We were delighted with what he did in Saudi Arabia.

“We felt he was only just ready to start so for him to do that was very encouraging.

“We are stepping him up in class for the Dubai Gold Cup and we think he can come forward from his win last month. He handles fast ground, he’s pacey, he quickens and stays well. That type of horse can do very well around the world.”

Other runners familiar to a UK and Irish audience include Champions Day scorer Trawlerman and Roger Varian’s dual St Leger hero Eldar Eldarov.

Of the Godolphin-owned Trawlerman, joint-trainer Thady Gosden said: “He came here last year and was in Riyadh before when things didn’t quite go to plan, but his form improved through the year and of course won on Champions Day at the backend.

“He’s been training well through the winter and he seems to be going the right way.”

Charlie Appleby’s Siskany, runner-up to O’Brien’s Broome in last year’s renewal, is another major contender for the Godolphin team, having already won twice at this year’s Dubai Carnival.

“Siskany does what it says on the tin really, he’s a very consistent horse who loves the flat tracks, he’s two from two for the winter and goes there in great order,” said Appleby.

“We’re putting the cheek pieces back on, just because we’re stepping up into tougher company. I feel this year’s renewal of the Gold Cup is one of the strongest we’ve seen for a few years.

“Turning in I thought we might have just nicked it in this race last year, but he probably just got outstayed. Two miles is his maximum trip and unfortunately we just came out second best.”

Charlie Appleby is confident Star Of Mystery will give Frankie Dettori a “good spin” as the legendary Italian prepares to don the Godolphin silks once more in the Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan on Saturday.

Dettori has a long and illustrious history with Sheikh Mohammed’s operation, of course, notably booting home three winners of the Dubai World Cup itself in the royal blue silks.

And having reversed his decision to retire last autumn, coupled with the fact Appleby’s stable jockey William Buick is unable to do the weight, the 53-year-old has been recalled by his former employers to partner a filly who appears to have major claims of striking Group One gold on the World Cup undercard.

Appleby said: “There’s no man with as much experience around Meydan as Frankie on World Cup night. Frankie rode for myself and the Moulton Paddocks team for a number of years and his Godolphin history is far longer and better than mine!

“With the weights as they are, William can’t do the 53 (kilograms) and having watched Frankie doing the light weights in America as he has been doing all winter, we approached him to ride a filly who, as I said to him, will give him a good spin around there.”

While Star Of Mystery won a Listed prize and finished second in the Group Two Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket last season, Appleby admits to being surprised by just how well she has done since being sent to the Middle East over the winter.

The daughter of Kodiac won her first two starts at Meydan, including the Group Two Blue Point Sprint in January, and her trainer feels she was unfortunate not to complete the hat-trick when runner-up to William Knight’s Frost At Dawn in the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint four weeks ago.

Appleby added: “She’s thrived since she’s been out here. I’ll be brutally honest, when we rolled the dice in the Blue Point, we were sort of dipping our toe in to try and get that Group-race placing on her CV, but she was very impressive in the way she picked up and I felt she repeated it again on her last start.

“If you switched the positions on the track, we could have won again, but take nothing away from the winner Frost At Dawn, who has been very consistent as well and sprinting looks to be her forte.

“Dropping back to the five furlongs for the Blue Point and the Nad Al Sheba has taught our filly how to race the right way, she was always a bit free in the jockey’s hands over six and would get there too easily and was not doing things quite the right way round.

“Over five, she comes from way off the pace and hopefully that will allow Frankie to be able to drop her in and ride a race on her and use that finishing speed that she’s shown.”

Frost At Dawn is again in opposition, as is the Clive Cox-trained Diligent Harry, who steps up in class following successive Listed wins on the all-weather in Britain.

Knight said: “It’s massively exciting, to have a runner on World Cup night is what we all get up for, but to go into the race with what I feel is a real, live chance makes it even more exciting.

“Once we dropped her back to six furlongs and then to five on Super Saturday, she’s really shown her true potential.

“It’s probably been a blessing coming out here as we’ve been able to work out her trip properly. Having won a seven-furlong novice at Chelmsford in early December, it’s crazy to think we’re out here on World Cup night running in the Al Quoz Sprint.”

Emaraaty Ana adds further British interest for Jamie and Saffie Osborne following his lucrative win in Qatar last month, while Hong Kong’s California Spangle and American raider Casa Creed look the pick of the international brigade.

Aidan O’Brien is fully aware of the importance of Auguste Rodin to the thoroughbred breed as he aims to add another stellar Group One to his CV in the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic.

By the late Japanese sensation Deep Impact, Auguste Rodin showcased his talent on the world stage last year by completing the Derby double at Epsom and the Curragh before adding the Irish Champion Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup Turf to his tally.

On Saturday he is attempting to win on a third continent, with the brave decision to keep him in training as a four-year-old, especially given Coolmore will eventually be looking for him to take over from Galileo at stud, not lost on his trainer.

“He’s so important to the breed of the thoroughbred,” said O’Brien.

“He brings together the best of Japan and Europe – the best of two continents – and it’s fair to say he’s one of the most important and exciting horses we have ever had. He really does have a chance of exerting a huge influence on future racehorses.

“It was a very brave decision by the lads to keep him in training, most definitely. There was already huge interest in him as a stallion prospect. But his owners are enjoying their racing more than ever these days and they are conscious of how unique this horse is. I think it’s great for everyone in racing that we can enjoy him again this year.

“We feel he has matured well from three to four and the reports from the team at Meydan are that he has travelled there well and is in great form.

“He is ready to run to his best and we are very excited about the journey ahead.”

Later in the year O’Brien is keen to see if Auguste Rodin can handle a dirt surface, which would make him even more valuable and unique.

“I think, as a rule, Deep Impacts are more grass horses, but we were very surprised the way he worked on dirt in America during the Breeders’ Cup,” he added.

“He cruises over the dirt, he’s a beautiful mover. He’s a very unusual-actioned horse so it will be very interesting to see how the season progresses. We can’t wait to see him back.”

There is at least one formidable obstacle to Auguste Rodin, however, in the shape of the Japanese filly Liberty Island, a multiple Group One winner in her homeland and last seen filling the runner-up spot behind her esteemed compatriot Equinox, who was nothing sort of sensational in last year’s Sheema Classic.

Auguste Rodin’s jockey Ryan Moore knows the strength of Japanese racing as much as anyone, and is full of respect for Liberty Island in a deep field.

“He had a gallop at Dundalk last month and he has been gearing up very well for this target since then,” he told Betfair.

“We never underestimate the opposition though, and you’d be pretty foolish to, given the make-up of this field.

“The strength of the Japanese circuit is there for all to see in this – Liberty Island’s winning run was only brought to a close by Equinox in the Japan Cup and we have to give that filly 5lb here, which is a pretty big ask – and there are Group One winners everywhere else you look too, not to mention the progressive Spirit Dancer.

“The winner will have earned their success.”

The British contingent is headed by John and Thady Gosden’s top-class filly Emily Upjohn, who has not not been seen in competitive action since disappointing in the King George at Ascot in July.

Thady Gosden said: “Obviously things didn’t quite go right there (in the King George), so we gave her a bit of time afterwards and she’s been in good order since really.

“She’s been training well through the winter. Obviously it’s very difficult getting horses ready with the long, dark nights and the cold weather, but she’s enjoying her work and has travelled over without a bother. Like everyone she’s happy to be here and is enjoying the experience.

“She’s a filly who has always shown plenty of talent and she’s progressed well through her career, of course winning the Coronation Cup last year against the boys. She’s in a similar situation here over a mile and a half against colts, albeit in a much more international race against some of the best horses in the world, as you’d expect.”

Charlie Appleby and William Buick team up with 2022 Breeders’ Cup Turf hero Rebel’s Romance. The six-year-old disappointed behind Equinox 12 months ago, but returns for a second attempt off the back of claiming at Group Three prize in Qatar in February.

“It was great to see him back at that level in Doha. He obviously had that great spell two years ago, winning those Group Ones culminating in winning a Breeders’ Cup Turf,” said Appleby.

“Last year was a bit stop-start. Our plan of working back from the Sword Dancer met with a bit of a mishap where he clipped heels (at Saratoga in July). He didn’t go down, but Richie (Mullen) got a bad fall and the horse just lost his confidence.

“We went to Kempton for an easier assignment with the hope that he would gain confidence from it and you could visually see that he had and we went to Qatar with a horse that we felt was back on his A-game. It was a great ride by William that day, but you’ve got to have the horse underneath you and the combination did a great job and won very impressively.

“He’s come here in great nick. The Sheema Classic is probably the strongest race of the evening, but the mile-and-a-half turf division is always a strong division wherever you go.”

Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe has urged the Football Association not to “throw the book” at midfielder Sandro Tonali after charging him with further betting offences.

The 23-year-old, who is currently serving a 10-month worldwide ban imposed by the Italian Football Federation in October after he admitted breaking gambling rules, is alleged to have breached FA rule E8 50 times by betting on matches between August 12 and October 12 last year.

However, Howe, who has been without his £55million summer signing from AC Milan since October, is hoping English football’s governing body will not impose further stringent punishment on a player whose agent, Giuseppe Riso, has insisted is battling a “gambling addiction”.

Howe said: “The news that there was an FA charge, that illness didn’t stop when he moved from Italy to England, that illness was there and people should look at it that way, not ‘let’s throw the book at him and let’s punish him even further’ because I don’t think that gets to the root of the problem.

“We need to protect all our players because this is something that’s open to everybody and becoming a bigger problem in society, so this isn’t just a problem for Sandro.”

Asked if he was worried Tonali, who has until April 5 to respond, could be handed a consecutive ban to run after the existing penalty has come to an end, Howe added: “We don’t know, is the honest answer. I certainly hope for Sandro that there are no further consequences.

“He has suffered during this period, he has sought help, he’s been very honest, he has admitted he has an issue, and I think the best thing for Sandro would be to resume his career having taken his punishment and having learned a lot of lessons from this.”

Tonali’s initial 18-month suspension was reduced by eight months on condition that he underwent treatment for his addiction and made 16 public appearances in Italy to talk to young players about the dangers of gambling.

He is currently allowed to train with Newcastle, who face West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday, but cannot play again until the end of August.

Asked how Tonali is dealing with the situation, Howe said: “He is seeking help on a regular basis. This is something that won’t go away for him, so he has regular meetings in Italy and in England to deal with the problems that he has.

“But I have to say mentally, he’s been very good in his training sessions, he’s been very good off the pitch. He’s been a brilliant team-mate to the people here and supporting team-mates and training really well to set a positive example.

“His English has improved a lot as well, which has been great. He can communicate now really well with his team-mates, which is such an important thing.

“I’m really positive about his comeback, whenever that is, that he’ll have a huge impact on the team.”

Lord North will be reunited with Frankie Dettori in search of an unprecedented fourth straight victory in Saturday’s Dubai Turf – but could face stiff opposition from inside his own camp as John and Thady Gosden add star mare Nashwa into the Meydan mix.

The Clarehaven stalwart has relished his trips to the Middle East on Dubai World Cup night, winning the Group One prize for the first time in 2021 before sharing the spoils with Japan’s Panthalassa in 2022 and then returning to sole ownership of the trophy with a ready success 12 months ago.

Not only is Lord North the race’s most successful horse, but his pilot, the evergreen Dettori, possesses a record four victories in the race, with Tamayaz’s win in 1997 supplementing Lord North’s recent hat-trick.

Dettori may have waved goodbye to UK racing, but his long-time allies the Gosdens always had Lord North in mind for a temporary reunion and now horse and jockey will attempt to further etch their names into the Meydan history books.

John Gosden said it was always the plan for Dettori to maintain his successful partnership, despite his move Stateside.

He said:  “He’s training well and we’re confident he’ll put up a very bold show. It was always the plan for Frankie to ride; we discussed it when I said goodbye to him on Champions Day at Ascot in October before his move to America.”

Thady Gosden admitted it would have been hard to break up the pair and said: “Frankie’s won three Dubai Turfs on Lord North, so he knows him like the back of his hand now. To win it once is an achievement but to do that three times is really something special.

“It’s actually the horse’s fifth time out here because of course he came out here during Covid when the race was cancelled, so he knows the place very well – he even comes out here on holiday and does not run! He’s taken to it like he usually does and seems to be in good order.

“He’s eight years old now, so you have to treat him with respect and can’t go running him every week. He had a nice, long break through the summer, which I think he thoroughly enjoyed, and he’s come back better for it. Although he’s a year older, he doesn’t seem to be any different from last year.”

Lord North tuned up for his latest visit to Dubai in his usual spot of the Winter Derby, although this year its new home of Southwell and the extended distance of the Rolleston variation of the Group Three contest meant the 5-4 favourite could only finish a keeping-on second to Military Order.

Having blown away the cobwebs on the Nottinghamshire Tapeta, connections are confident he is raring to go as he returns to his optimum nine-furlong trip.

Thady Gosden continued: “He ran well at Southwell after a long time off the track. He was a bit rusty and normally the race is run at Lingfield over a mile and a quarter, whereas they switched it to Southwell this year over a mile and three furlongs, so it gave the race a completely different complexion.

“He wanted a little bit for fitness there and was taking on a very good, race-fit horse in the winner, but he came out of it well and seems to have switched on for it.”

Joining Lord North on the Clarehaven teamsheet is Nashwa, who added to her Group One haul last term when successful over a mile in the Falmouth Stakes and proved she can mix it with the colts when beaten only a length in the Juddmonte International and when placed in the Irish Champion Stakes won by Auguste Rodin.

Now five, she has proved adept over both a mile and 10 furlongs, while the make-up of this assignment could play right to the strengths of the Classic-winning daughter of Frankel.

“Nashwa is an exceptional filly in a tough race. She needed a couple of races to get her back into the zone (last season), but she’s trained well at home and is in great order,” added the younger Gosden.

“She’s been abroad to France before and Ireland and she’s travelled well. She does everything in a laidback fashion and she’s doing well.

“It’s an incredibly sporting decision to keep her in training. It’s fantastic to see these sort of horses, they don’t come along very often so when they do it’s great when they stay with us.

“She’s a filly by Frankel who runs to a consistent level. She’s obviously run on different types of tracks and has won Group Ones over a mile and a mile and a quarter, so coming here for a race over a mile and one on what is obviously a fast course should suit her down to the ground.”

Charlie Appleby saddles Measured Time, who enhanced his reputation when landing the Jebel Hatta on his most recent appearance and this will be the acid test of the impressive son of Frankel, who has won five of his six career starts.

Appleby said: “He’s two from two out here, winning the Al Rashidiya and then heading on to the Jebel Hatta. The restructuring of the programme means the Jebel Hatta is run at the end of January now, so we brought him back for a racecourse gallop, he pleased us that morning and has done everything right since.

“He’s got to step up now, I know he’s a Group One winner but it’s going to be a different Group One on Saturday night. But he’s a horse we’ve always had a lot of confidence in, he’s pleased us and one hopes he’s going to be very competitive on Saturday.”

Godolphin’s hand is strengthened by a familiar name in Saeed bin Suroor’s Real World, while Facteur Cheval is another well-known European contender, with Jerome Reynier’s five-year-old a consistent operator at the highest level over a mile last term.

Somewhat surprisingly, Aidan O’Brien has never won the Dubai Turf and he relies on highly-respected operators Luxembourg and Cairo to break his duck.

There is a typically strong Japanese hand headed by Yasuo Tomomichi’s Arima Kinen winner Do Deuce and last year’s runner-up Danon Beluga.

Harry Glenister hopes Oxford can turn the tide on recent Boat Race history to deliver what would be a “dream” triumph before the Great Britain veteran hangs up his oars.

The 28-year-old spent five years as a member of the GB senior rowing team, narrowly missing out on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics then sitting out the entire 2023 season with a back injury.

Cambridge have lost the men’s race just once in the last five years, winning last year’s edition by 1 1/3 lengths thanks to a risky move by their coxswain, but Boat Race debutant Glenister is confident Oxford have what it takes to come out on top in the 169th iteration of the gruelling men’s showdown.

Glenister told the PA news agency: “Winning this race would mean everything to me, just to finish with the sport, it’s a good end for me. Obviously very disappointed not to make Tokyo, but this would be as good for me if I could finish on a high.

“The Olympics is obviously bigger, but this is one of the biggest races in the world, so I would be very, very happy if I could get the win.

“It’s just such an awesome event. There’s so much great energy around it. Every rower wants to do this event.

“We’ve got a very strong team this year, we’ve got some dogs, very excited to see what we can do and turn the tide, try to stop this Cambridge dominance.”

Glenister, set to occupy the two seat in the dark blue boat, started out as a sculler, competing at junior and U23 levels, before transitioning to sweep rowing at the senior level.

His CV includes numerous World Cups and the 2019 European Championships, and was the first individual to be victorious in all three men’s quad events at Henley.

Glenister agrees his elite rowing experience will allow him to cultivate – and ideally pass on – the optimal competitive mindset come Saturday’s 3:46pm start time, but the Boat Race debutant says he is learning just as much from those at Oxford more familiar with the traditional, 6.8 km Championship Course.

There was little between the men’s rivals after their traditional weigh-in at the March 13th crew announcement,  with Oxford coming in at an average 92kg, just half a kilogram heavier than their Cambridge counterparts, with four-time Olympic champion Matthew Pinsent presiding as umpire.

Oxford will also be looking to snap Cambridge’s dominant six-year stretch in the 78th women’s race, this year umpired by Olympian Richard Phelps in what so far appear to be pleasant weather conditions, though teams will be taking numerous precautions after high levels of E.coli – which can cause serious infections – were found along the Championship Course.

Asked about the biggest differences between the Boat Race and his time in the GB setup, the MBA student immediately noted: “First I have to study! I’ve got six hours of classes a day and then rowing twice a day, which is not as much as the GB rowing team but still quite substantial.

“When I was racing for GB I was racing over 2k, this is over seven. It’s a lot longer and it’s a very different style of racing – who gets out ahead first. Whoever gets in front will win.

“You want to go really hard early. It’s go out hard and hang on, and hopefully you break the other crew. Who is the first person in each crew to break?

“The person that breaks is the one that’s going to lose, and the crew that breaks the other person is going to win. It’s a very exciting style of racing. I really enjoy it.

“I’ve been in big races, big moments, I know how to handle the pressure and I’m very used to it, so I can try to hopefully bring that confidence to the crew so we can get it done when it matters.”

Andy Murray will miss next month’s Monte Carlo Masters and the BMW Open Munich with the ankle injury he suffered in Miami.

The 36-year-old Scot has vowed to return to action “as soon as possible”, but it is also uncertain when he will be back on court.

A statement from the two-time Wimbledon champion’s management team on Friday read: “Following consultation with his team and medical experts, Andy Murray has taken the decision to miss the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters and BMW Open Munich.

“At this stage, it is still not clear how long Andy will be out of action, and he is continuing to review options with his medical team.

“Obviously this is very disappointing news for Andy and he has reiterated his desire to get back on court as soon as possible.

“He thanks all his fans for their kind messages of support and will continue to update everybody as the situation evolves.”

The Monte Carlo Masters and BMW Open Munich take place between April 7-14 and April 15-21 respectively.

Murray cried out in pain and fell to the floor late on in his third-round defeat by Tomas Machac at the Miami Open last Sunday.

Murray was able to complete the match after on-court treatment but revealed in an Instagram post that he had seriously damaged two ligaments in his left ankle.

It is less than 10 weeks until the start of the British grass-court season and just over three months until Wimbledon, where Murray had planned to play for the final time before retirement.

He has also targeted a final Olympic appearance in Paris but all those could depend on whether he needs an operation or if non-surgical measures will suffice.

It is cruel timing for the three-time grand-slam champion, who had won back-to-back matches for the first time this year in Miami.

Dejounte Murray said the late Kobe Bryant would have been proud of his efforts after scoring a career-high 44 points to lead the Atalanta Hawks to another dramatic win over the Boston Celtics.

The Hawks recovered from 30 points down to clinch a memorable 120-118 win over the league-leading Celtics on Monday, and they made it a double with Thursday's last-gasp overtime success.

Murray sank 44 points, including the go-ahead jumper in the final second of overtime, to guide Atlanta to a 123-122 win – their fourth victory in as many games.

Murray's 44 points came off 44 shots, which led him to recall how Los Angeles Lakers legend Bryant scored 41 points with 47 attempts against the Celtics back in 2002.

The 27-year-old was not too concerned by his wastefulness after stepping up in the big moments, though.

"I still feel like I played awful," Murray told reporters after the game. "I don't want to take that many shots. But I know Kobe would be proud of me!

"I'm just built for those moments. I'm a confident guy."

Occupying the final Play-In spot in the Eastern Conference with a 34-39 record, the Hawks are now within one game of the ninth seed, the Chicago Bulls.

Murray knows the scale of the statement they have made by beating the Celtics twice in four days, adding: "That's the best team in the league, and we competed.

"We're not tanking, we're not trying to lose. We're trying to win games and see how high we can get."

While the Celtics will surely be sick of the sight of Atlanta, they could yet be reunited with them in the first round of the playoffs, should the Hawks make the Play-In Tournament and progress. 

Boston coach Joe Mazzulla knows his team won't be able to switch off if they face the Hawks again, saying: "That's a really good team."