Kielan Woods has vowed to address “a mental block” around the whip rules after incurring another hefty suspension following a British Horseracing Authority hearing on Friday.

The Cheltenham Festival-winning rider was referred to the independent disciplinary panel after he was found to have breached the whip rules for a fourth time in a six-month period.

Woods was given a 42-day suspension – nine of which were deferred – back in June and is now facing a further lengthy spell on the sidelines after being banned for 45 days.

Nine days have again been deferred for six months, meaning Woods will serve 36 days from January 20 to February 24, with the rider planning to work on his whip issues during that time.

In a statement issued through the Professional Jockeys Association, he said: “By the time I reach the end of this suspension I’ll have missed around a third of the last year through suspension and I’ve got no one to blame but myself.

“I’m going spend this time off getting to the bottom of why I seem to have a mental block when it comes to this issue and making sure whatever the issue is, I get it fixed.”

Woods is stable jockey to Ben Pauling and rode the trainer’s Cheltenham hope Tellherthename to a cosy 14-length success at Huntingdon on Friday.

Boss Unai Emery admits Aston Villa are unlikely to make big moves in the transfer market this month.

Villa are second in the Premier League ahead of the weekend with Emery happy with the squad.

They go to Everton on Sunday and despite still being in the title hunt, the Europa Conference League and the FA Cup, Emery has ruled out major changes in January.

“We are not being very focused in the transfer window because we are second in the table and we are recovering some players that have been out since the start of the season (Alex Moreno and Jacob Ramsey),” said Emery, who won December’s Manager of the Month.

“I am very happy with the players. The commitment with the players is really good and the wish and desire to work hard is really good.

“We are going to face three competitions until the end of the season, Premier League, FA Cup and Europa Conference League, and it will be very difficult. We need players to be available and be ready with good performances to play in our idea and our style.

“We have the players here to do that.”

Emi Buendia and Tyrone Mings are long-term absentees with knee injuries while Lucas Digne (hamstring) is also out.

Pau Torres (ankle) and Youri Tielemans (calf) have returned to training although the game could come too soon and Bertrand Traore is with Burkina Faso for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Emery added: “They (Everton) are progressively getting better and playing being very competitive. With their issue with the points (deduction), they are playing well and being very competitive in each match.

“It’s very difficult to beat them in their stadium with their fans. We respect them a lot.

“They’re going to be very competitive at home and we’re going to prepare the match respecting them a lot.”

Pep Guardiola has spoken of his admiration for Sven-Goran Eriksson after the former England manager revealed he could have less than a year to live.

Eriksson, 75, went public on Thursday with the news that he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer.

The Swede said that in the “best case” he may only have around a year left.

Eriksson managed England from 2001-06 and led them to the quarter-finals of three major tournaments before later spending a season in charge at Manchester City.

Guardiola, the current City boss, said: “It is sad news. He’s a true gentleman.

“He has been here, and with the England national team and in other countries.

“I admire the courage to explain the situation. Of course will be with his loved ones and hopefully the hope is the last thing we lose.

“I’m sure he’s going to battle with the doctors and everyone to maybe can find a solution, to extend this period and the battle and go well.

“On behalf of Man City and all of us here, huge hugs and huge support. Anything we can do, of course we will do it.”

Eriksson had a long and distinguished career in football management, forged largely in Italy where, among his successes, he won Serie A and the European Cup Winners’ Cup with Lazio.

He also had jobs in other countries including his native Sweden, Portugal, Mexico, the Ivory Coast and China.

He stood down from his most recent job, as sporting director at Swedish club Karlstad, last year due to health problems.

Eriksson has revealed news of his diagnosis came as a huge shock.

He told TalkTV: “I got dizzy and I fell to the ground and my children took me to the hospital.

“And they did a lot of examinations and four hours later, I was diagnosed with cancer. So that’s how it happened. I felt totally well. It came like a very, very big surprise.

“You can’t operate it and you can take medicine to try to stop it (spreading) too fast and that’s what I’m doing. But sooner or later, it will happen. Let’s hope later rather than sooner.”

He added: “When you get a message like that it’s like a shock because I was fully fit, I think. Rather fit as well and training. So it came like from nowhere.

“So, of course, you feel very bad and you are shocked when you get it, and I think that’s normal. But you have to fight against it, and that’s what I’m trying to do, at least.”

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The New England Patriots wasted no time in naming a successor to Bill Belichick.

Multiple outlets reported Friday that the Patriots have promoted inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo to be their next head coach, one day after the team and Belichick announced they would part ways after a historic 24-year run.

Mayo, a former New England linebacker, spent the last five seasons on Belichick's staff. The 37-year-old becomes the youngest current head coach in the NFL and the first Black head coach in Patriots history.

Jamie Snowden’s Colonel Harry will look to make a success of the next step in his chasing career in the William Hill Towton Novices’ Chase at Wetherby on Saturday.

The chestnut made a good start over fences with a taking victory at Chepstow, after which he stepped up in level to finish second behind Le Patron in the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown.

Those runs follow a good spell over hurdles, though Snowden has always expected chasing to be his forte and hopes he will continue to be proved right as he steps up to just short of two and a half miles in Yorkshire.

“He was a decent novice hurdler but always threatened to be a better chaser and so it has proved so far,” he said.

“He won very nicely on his chasing debut at Chepstow and then put in a huge performance when second in a Grade One at Sandown the last day.

“A mistake at the first just put him on the back foot and he was always playing catch-up from then. He almost made up the ground and was closing all the way to the line, but just didn’t quite get up.

“I think the step up in trip here should suit him now. There are nice horses in this race and he needs to go and do it, but it looks the right race for him and he will like the ground and he’s in great form.”

Also involved is Kim Bailey’s Trelawne, a winner on seasonal debut at Carlisle and then third in a Cheltenham novice chase in mid-December.

Bailey was intending to run the eight-year-old elsewhere but with an eye on the weather forecast, he has opted to aim for Wetherby at the weekend.

“It is kind of a late decision and our original plan was to go to Chepstow on Tuesday, but they think that won’t be on,” he said.

“He needs racecourse experience so we have decided to reroute here, but Jamie Snowden’s horse looks took tough to beat at the weights.

“If the ratings are correct then it could be quite an interesting race, but we shall see and Trelawne needs experience.

“If he hadn’t made the mistake at the last then he might have gone a bit closer at Cheltenham (last time), but he is a nice horse I hope.”

Olly Murphy’s Chasing Fire was luckless when unseating his rider last time out at Aintree, prior to which he was well beaten in an Ayr novice on his second start of the season following a winning debut over fences at Uttoxeter.

The step up in trip is expected to suit, however, with the gelding having three victories over hurdles to his name, alongside a bumper and a point-to-point success.

Murphy said: “Two miles round Ayr was far too sharp for him and he had a good start to his chasing career at Uttoxeter, while he was unfortunate to unseat Harry (Skelton) at the first at Aintree the last day.

“He’s up in trip and it’s a bit more of a test of stamina than he’s been used to. He’s still unexposed and a big, slow track will suit him.”

Dan Skelton’s The King Of Ryhope also holds an entry, with Hurricane Highway and Meetingofthewaters non runners.

Ange Postecoglou believes an alignment between all the key figures at Tottenham has allowed them to move quickly in the January transfer window.

Postecoglou repeatedly made clear his desire to bring in a centre-back early and Spurs completed the signing of Radu Dragusin from Genoa on Thursday, with Djed Spence heading on loan in the other direction.

It capped a busy week for Tottenham after they secured the loan addition of Timo Werner from RB Leipzig on Tuesday and allowed Eric Dier to depart after 10 seasons to join Bayern Munich.

Spurs’ quick work is a big shift in strategy after previously waiting until the end of the month to secure signings and Postecoglou paid tribute to chairman Daniel Levy, technical director Johan Lange and chief football officer Scott Munn.

“It’s easier said than done because while we might have a desire to do things early, you’ve got to have all parties agreeing to that and it’s not easy to do, especially in January,” Postecoglou said ahead of Sunday’s trip to Manchester United.

“The key thing for us was from the chairman to Johan and his team and Scott, we were all very aligned in what we wanted and we got our targets early.

“It was pretty clear what we wanted to do and if it didn’t happen, then we’ve moved on. But I think the fact that we were all pretty aligned on what our objectives were allowed us to be sitting here now with two players in – not so much for Sunday, but we know we’ve got a two-week break which means we get at least a couple of weeks to get the lads up to speed.

“We had some pretty clear objectives. If there’s an opportunity for us to get better, we’ll take it, but what we were trying to achieve going into it, I’m really pleased we’ve got two players in who I think will play a really important part for us.”

Postecoglou has continued to reshape the squad this month with former captain Hugo Lloris joining Los Angeles FC and Dier ending his nine-and-a-half-years at Tottenham to join Bayern.

“The club made a conscious decision to change the way we went about things and for that to happen you need change in personnel,” the Australian reflected.

“Hugo left and Eric moves on to another chapter in his career, he’s another one who has had a fantastic career here at Tottenham.

“Eric’s left his mark, he was part of a very very good side who made many great memories for our supporters here and he certainly leaves his mark here at Tottenham.

“He moves to another big club and hopefully has success in the rest of his career.

“For us, it’s a constant evolution of traying to inch forward to becoming the team we want to be.”

Postecoglou expects Dragusin to be involved at Old Trafford despite still waiting for his work permit and Micky van de Ven is fit enough to start.

Cristian Romero has also returned to training and could feature against United, but Giovani Lo Celso and Ben Davies are both out.

Lo Celso’s absence could earn Werner his full debut.

Erling Haaland is still out but Kevin De Bruyne is ready to start for Manchester City at Newcastle on Saturday, manager Pep Guardiola has said.

Striker Haaland is still troubled by the foot injury that has sidelined him since early December.

The Premier League champions, however, are boosted by De Bruyne’s progress after the playmaker’s return from a lengthy lay-off as a second-half substitute in last weekend’s FA Cup victory over Huddersfield.

City also expect midfielder Jack Grealish to be available after illness, but defender John Stones is not yet ready to return from an ankle injury.

City manager Guardiola said at a press conference: “Jack has been sick. Hopefully today he’s back. Erling is out and John is out.”

De Bruyne said last week he expected to be on the bench at Newcastle, but asked if he could start, Guardiola said: “Yes. What I saw yesterday he looks really good and dynamic.

“The minutes he played were really good, better than the training sessions before the Huddersfield game when he was a little bit not what he is.

“But that’s normal when you come from five months of injury. He had highs and lows in the training sessions, but that is completely normal. The important thing is he is getting better.”

Broadway Boy is out to confirm his position as one of this season’s leading novice chasers in Warwick’s Trustatrader Hampton Novices’ Chase on Saturday.

Trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, the six-year-old has excelled over fences so far this term, where ambitious campaigning has seen him win three of his first four starts over the larger obstacles.

Since his sole defeat at the hands of Flooring Porter, Broadway Boy has twice dazzled at Cheltenham – firstly when winning a Listed event by an emphatic 20 lengths and then returning in December to outgun a cast of seasoned performers which included former Gold Cup third Protektorat.

He now takes the next step on his novice chasing journey, with Willy Twiston Davies – who bought the horse for owner David Proos and rides him out most days – confident the talented gelding is the one the others have to beat.

He said: “He’s been very, very good so far and obviously it’s not Cheltenham, which is his preferred track, but he jumps very well left-handed and it’s a good jumping test for him, the ground is fine and we know he stays well, so you would hope he will be bang there.

“Looking at the race, you would like to think the others have him to worry about and they have to step up to his level, so we go there quietly confident.

“We will learn a bit more on Saturday and both Grey Dawning and Apple Away are not bad horses, but hopefully if he beats them, it cements him as one of Britain’s top staying novices.”

Dan Skelton claimed the Grade Two contest with Galia Des Liteaux 12 months ago and will attempt to repeat the dose with Grey Dawning, who scored on the card over timber in 2023.

Grey Dawning has made a respectable start to his chasing career, impressing at Haydock on his penultimate start before rallying following a juddering error two from home at Cheltenham last time to be denied by just under a length.

Some 14 lengths adrift of the Skelton contender at Haydock was Lucinda Russell’s Apple Away, who had to settle for third place on that baptism of fire in the chasing ranks.

However, the Grade One-winning hurdler put the experience gained to good use when romping home at Leicester next time and, having delighted connections with her jumping in the East Midlands, is now set another stern challenge which could dictate which path she takes later this season.

“I wish we could find an easier race, but this is where she is at and this is what we do,” said Peter Scudamore, Russell’s partner and assistant

“I think Nigel and Dan’s horses are very good horses but she jumped very well at Leicester and she won a Grade One at Aintree (over hurdles), so she deserves her chance.

“I was pleased by the way she jumped (at Leicester) and we gave her quite a big ask first time over fences at Haydock. But she learnt from that and got it together at Leicester and really jumped well. She has toughened up and is on the upgrade and let’s hope she puts up a good performance round Warwick.

“We would love to go to Cheltenham with her and we just need to decide if she runs in the mares’ race, a handicap or the Brown Advisory.”

Joe Tizzard’s The Changing Man split Cheltenham Festival winner Stay Away Fay and Grey Dawning when they clashed at Exeter and is entitled to his place in this line-up, while Evan Williams’ Carbon King completes the five-strong field, having made a winning chasing debut at Ffos Las last month.

Readin Tommy Wrong was a surprise winner of the Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle as Willie Mullins sent out the first three home.

The six-year-old came into the race unbeaten under rules but still looked a lesser light for the trainer in the Grade One, as Ile Atlantique, Chapeau De Soleil and Lecky Watson were more fancied in the betting.

Under a patient ride from Daryl Jacob, the winner travelled at the rear of the field, beginning to gain ground rapidly two furlongs from home, having started at 16-1.

He then locked horns with 6-4 favourite Ile Atlantique on the approach to the line but the outsider toughed it out to lead home the Mullins one-two-three, with 14-1 Lecky Watson the third-placed horse.

Mark Dodson has dismissed any notion that criticism of Scottish Rugby’s handling of Siobhan Cattigan’s death played a part in his decision to call time on his near-13-year reign as chief executive.

The Englishman was appointed in September 2011 and his most recent contract, signed in 2022, was due to take him up to June 2025, but the 63-year-old revealed on Friday that he will instead depart this summer, declaring it “the perfect time” to move on.

Dodson’s announcement comes just two months after the governing body apologised – via a statement from recently-appointed chair John McGuigan – for the way it dealt with the death of 26-year-old Scotland Women international Cattigan in November 2021.

Cattigan’s family said undetected rugby-related brain damage caused a significant decline in her health, while they also criticised Scottish Rugby for its failure to inform some of her team-mates of the family’s wishes that they attend her funeral and also for not attempting to pay tribute to her at an international match until almost 18 months after her death.

Asked if the fallout from Cattigan’s death had been a factor in his decision to step down, Dodson said: “There is no connection. It is an upsetting affair and it’s been a difficult time for everybody, but it had no bearing on my decision at all.”

Dodson – who has polarised opinion throughout his reign – also played down claims that he is leaving Scottish Rugby in ailing health after the organisation reported a £10.5million loss for the last financial year.

“I think the business is performing really, really well,” he said. “When you look at statutory accounts and you see the losses there and you look widely, rugby’s in a tough place at the moment across the whole of the UK and the southern hemisphere.

“We’re trading well in a really difficult market so, from my point of view, the business is doing well and I’m happy with where we are on that.”

Dodson is adamant there was no pressure on him from anyone within Scottish Rugby to leave his position.

“None at all, it was entirely my decision,” he said. “I talked through with John McGuigan at length during the autumn and I suggested this was the right time to go. We agreed, we moved on.

“Several factors were in play to influence my decision. When we got back from the World Cup, I thought long and hard with the family and we believed it was only right that the next World Cup cycle be given to someone who is actually going to see it through.

“My contract was up until 2025. It was there to make sure we had continuity between the new governance structure and the new boards being bedded down.

“We’ve made tremendous progress on that. John and I have worked really closely together since he joined the business and the new strategy piece we are doing at the moment will run for a 10-year period.

“It was right for me to say ‘I think we should hand this over to someone who will be able to execute it over the long term’.

“The national teams are in good shape, the two pro teams are in good shape, we had a record crowd (for the 1872 Cup game between Edinburgh and Glasgow), we’ve got two nascent female teams just coming through.

“We felt it was the right time to move on. There are other things I want to do in my career and we felt it was the perfect time to do that.”

Henrietta Knight was out of luck with her first runner for over 11 years as Zettabyte finished unplaced at Wincanton.

Knight enjoyed tremendous success during her first spell with a licence, winning the Gold Cup at Cheltenham three times with Best Mate.

She was also responsible for Queen Mother Champion Chase and King George hero Edredon Bleu, the Stayers’ Hurdle with Karshi and Victor Chandler Chase (now Clarence House) with Somersby.

Having competed at the highest level of equestrianism before beginning her training career, Knight was always credited with being a great horsewoman and until recently several trainers have sent their horses to her for extensive schooling.

She had retired in 2012 but announced in November her intention to return and saddled her first runners at the Somerset venue.

While the seven-year-old Zettabyte, formerly with Gordon Elliott, failed to trouble the judge he did briefly suggest he might play a part in the finish suggesting there is something to work on for Knight.

The Start Your RacingTV Free Trial Now Handicap Hurdle was won by Anthony Charlton’s Ilanz (11-2).

Erik ten Hag wished Jadon Sancho luck at Borussia Dortmund but would not be drawn on the winger’s long-term future following the Manchester United misfit’s temporary return to his former club.

The 23-year-old left the Bundesliga side for Old Trafford to much fanfare in 2021, joining in a £73million deal after a long, well-documented pursuit of the England international.

But Sancho has struggled to live up to the hype and been banished since claiming he had been made a “scapegoat” after Ten Hag said he did not reach the “level” required to be involved in their squad at Arsenal.

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The winger has been training away from the main group since September and has now returned to Dortmund on loan for the remainder of the season without an option to buy, saying it felt like he was “coming home”.

“I hope he’s doing well, so I wish him the best of luck,” Ten Hag said. “That’s it. I hope he’s doing well and he will be a success.”

The Dutchman has been reluctant to speak about Sancho during his four-month absence and quickly shut down further talk about the United man.

Asked what Sancho has to do at Dortmund in order to get back in the United team, he replied curtly: “No, I already replied. I think it’s enough.”

Sancho followed Donny van de Beek in leaving on loan, with other peripheral players likely to follow as United’s injury issues begin to ease.

The Red Devils have been beset by problems this term, but they are easing ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash against Tottenham.

Lisandro Martinez could be involved for the first time since injuring a foot in September, while Casemiro has been out with a hamstring complaint picked up in October.

“We have had a lot of injuries,” Ten Hag said.

“This week in training, so the last couple of days, Licha Martinez training, Casemiro training, Luke Shaw training, so there are players returning. They are coming in for selection for Sunday.

“(Christian) Eriksen was ill in the week, he will return. Antony will return. Amad (Diallo) will return.

“We have more choices in this moment in the squad to put out a starting XI and to create a bench that is stronger.”

Ten Hag’s options are improving and the United boss will be hoping that is matched by an upturn in players’ form.

Antony has been particularly underwhelming after joining from Ajax for 100million euros (£84.8m) in 2022, with a slow first season following by a poor second campaign.

The Brazil international was given a leave of absence in September to deal with allegations of abuse against him that the winger has always strongly denied.

Police inquiries in Brazil and the UK are ongoing and Ten Hag believes off-field issues have had “an impact on him”.

“I can explain (his struggles),” Ten Hag, who worked with Antony at Ajax, said. “I think it’s very simple.

“I think his off-field issues stop him playing. I think first year was OK and I think in the pre-season he was very OK. First four games were very good.

“He was out and then he came back. He didn’t deliver the performance we should expect from him and he can do so much better.

“You mention Ajax, also I look back there so his effectiveness, his end product was very high there and also in the Champions League very high.

“So, I am sure he’s capable of doing this.”

Quilixios was much the best to take the BetVictor Irish EBF Novice Chase at Naas, in which the well-regarded Mister Policeman could only finish third.

The latter was the 8-15 favourite for Willie Mullins after winning both Irish starts in good style, including his chasing debut at Fairyhouse in November.

It was assumed there was more to come from him – but it was Henry de Bromhead’s 5-1 shot Quilixios, well beaten when last seen in the Florida Pearl, who moved with most menace in the five-runner field.

On the turn from home Rachael Blackmore pulled clear and was chased but never threatened by Gordon Elliott’s Sa Fureur, as Mister Policeman was a remote third after struggling from some way out.

“He was really good, jumped brilliant, travelled well and we couldn’t have really asked for any more,” De Bromhead said of the former Triumph Hurdle hero.

“He jumped a bit right in Limerick (chase debut) and we were concerned about that, but no sign of it here.

“He has loads of gears and is a Triumph Hurdle winner. He’s a class horse.

“We got the trip wrong the last day. He wouldn’t blow you away with speed at home, but those good two-milers have such a high cruising speed. Sizing Europe was the same and so was Special Tiara.

“He’s in the Irish Arkle, but we’ll speak with everyone at Cheveley (Park Stud, owners) and see where we go.

“I’d say he’ll have to go to the Arkle (at Cheltenham) now.”

Betfair halved Quilixios’ odds for Cheltenham, making him 25-1 for the Arkle from a previous price of 50-1.