Nostalgia and memories of past glories have accompanied Naomi Osaka on her return to the Australian Open but the two-time champion is determined to be patient with herself.

Osaka is playing her first grand slam tournament since the US Open in 2022 after giving birth to daughter Shai last summer.

The winner at Melbourne Park in 2019 and 2021, the 26-year-old is feeling her way back into life on tour having made her comeback at the Brisbane International last week.

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“Just going into the locker room and having the same locker as before, I think little things like that really make me happy,” said Osaka.

“Just being able to hit on Rod Laver, I guess, look up at the sky and kind of realise, I’ve been able to win twice here. I would love to do it again.

“Definitely it is hard because I do think of all the amazing memories that I’ve had. I also think, in my head, who am I to just come back in the second tournament and expect so much from myself, especially against the best players in the world?

“Even hitting today with Ons (Jabeur), I caught myself getting a little disappointed in myself when I would make some mistakes. But I’m hitting against Ons. I think it’s just one of those things where I now think to myself that I have to give myself a lot of time and patience.”

Osaka cuts a notably happier figure than the player who struggled with her mental health during 2022 and contemplated stepping away from the sport completely.

Time and a new perspective as a mother has given Osaka, who is also a two-time winner of the US Open, a different outlook on her career.

“I’ve taken a lot of breaks throughout the years,” she said. “I think this one was the one that finally clicked in my head. I think I realised, being an athlete, that time is really precious. (Before) I was young and I felt like I could kind of roll back into it whenever I needed to.

“I guess after having Shai, going through the struggle of trying to get myself back to where I want to be, it was incredibly tough.

“I have a much more positive mindset and a much more grateful mindset. I think overall I’m just happy to be here because I remember last year I was watching people playing Australian Open, and I couldn’t participate myself.”

Osaka has not travelled to Australia with Shai, who has stayed back home in the USA.

“It’s definitely been really hard,” she said. “She’s learning things while I’m gone. I’m hoping she doesn’t learn how to crawl before I come back. She’s doing her little plank thing and scooting forward and back. I think it might be a little inevitable.

“I’m definitely sad, but I feel like it’s a selfish sad because I want her to be here. But I think, for her health, her whole environment is at home. I don’t want to put her out of that while she’s still so young. I FaceTime her often.”

Osaka, who joins fellow former champions Caroline Wozniacki and Angelique Kerber as mothers making their Australian Open returns, has a tricky first-round draw against 16th seed Caroline Garcia.

She is happy how her body has reacted to playing matches again, saying: “There has been stiffness and soreness but honestly not as bad as I was expecting. Even without having gone through post-pregnancy, I’m normally very sore on the first tournament back.

“But it ended up really fine. I think my body’s quite adaptable. I think I’ve been doing pretty well. I’m pretty confident with where I’m at right now.”

Andy Murray is happy to see tennis finally addressing its late night habit – although he is not ruling out more long days at the Australian Open.

The ATP and WTA announced earlier this week a new scheduling policy restricting the number of matches played per day at tournaments and setting a deadline of 11pm for contests to start.

Murray was involved in one of the latest finishes in grand slam history last year when he completed a five-set win over Thanasi Kokkinakis in the second round of the Australian Open at 4.05am.

The Scot strongly criticised the scheduling afterwards, and the tournament’s response has been to move to a 15-day event, spreading the first round over three days.

There will be a minimum of two matches rather than three in the day session on Rod Laver Arena and Margaret Court Arena but the night session will still feature two matches starting at 7pm.

“I don’t think the Sunday start will change the late finishes,” said Murray. “I think on centre court they’re having two matches in the day, two matches in the evening.

“I think that will reduce the possibility for late finishes on Rod Laver just because it’s unlikely you’re going to have issues with the day session running into the night, then having that gap where they have to clear out the stadium and get the night session fans in.

“My understanding is that on the other show courts that’s not changing, so there still is the possibility for that to happen.”

Murray welcomed the tours’ new rules, saying: “It’s really good. I’ve spoken about it, I’ve heard lots of players and the media, obviously, discussing it for a long time. It just makes sense. It’s a very obvious thing that needs to change.

“I haven’t heard anyone really disagree with that. So it’s positive that there’s going to be some changes made. It will be good for, I think, everyone. It will definitely help with recovery for following day’s matches and things like that.

“I certainly think, for fans and the tournament, it just probably looks a wee bit more professional if you’re not finishing at three or four in the morning.”

Murray is making his 16th appearance in the main draw at Melbourne Park and will take on 30th-seeded Argentinian Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the first round on Monday.

He cut a very frustrated figure at the end of last season and goes into this tournament short on wins but insisted he is feeling happier about his game.

“I definitely feel like I’m enjoying it better,” he said. “I think part of that is the mental side of it. Tennis is a difficult game in that respect. When you’re struggling, you’re obviously out there on your own, it can be difficult at times.

“Also the way you’re playing. When you know you’re capable of doing more than what you are, if you’re not happy with the way you’re hitting forehands and backhands and serving and those sorts of things, there’s the technical aspect as well.

“Fixing some of those problems has helped me feel better on the court. Definitely some focus on the mental side, as well. Reframing the way you look at things definitely, definitely helps.”

Murray and Etcheverry met twice last year, sharing the spoils in two long matches.

“I made most of my matches quite physical last year,” said Murray with a smile. “I know that last year, when I wasn’t serving well, you end up getting into lots more long rallies and everything. Hopefully that’s not the case in a couple of days.”

Owen Farrell will still be available for the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia led by his father Andy if he joins Racing 92 next season.

Owen is considering a lucrative move to the Top 14 having spent his entire club career at Saracens, making him ineligible for England selection until he returns to the Gallagher Premiership.

The 32-year-old fly-half has already ruled himself out of the Six Nations in order to prioritise his and his family’s mental wellbeing, placing his international future in doubt.

But the Lions insist overseas-based players will be considered if Farrell wants them in his squad, even if the finish date of the Top 14 means they might be unavailable for the early games.

“We don’t have a policy that closes off anyone from being selected,” chief executive Ben Calveley said.

“If you just look at previous Lions tours, we’ve had people come on a tour who haven’t been playing for a national side.

“Will Greenwood is a great example, even though we are going back a way there (1997). In 2021 Finn Russell was based in France, so we don’t have any restrictions on selection.”

Farrell will lead the Lions for the first time as reward for his success with Ireland, who he has led to a Grand Slam, an historic 2-1 series victory in New Zealand and to the top of the world rankings.

And he would be willing to pick Owen if his performances justify a place in the squad as the Lions aim to win their first series win since Australia in 2013.

“We’ll consider everyone in regards to whether they will make a difference too the Lions touring party. That’s all that matters,” Farrell said.

“It’s about form, it’s about watching the game properly. Selection, as far as that’s concerned, is the same as for everyone else. No different.”

Farrell insists he has not spoken to Owen, England’s captain since 2019, about his possible move away from Saracens but backs any decision the three-time Lions tourist makes.

“It’s his choice. He does what he thinks is right for him in that moment in time. You can’t go wrong in that regard, can you?” Andy Farrell said.

“It’s a player’s prerogative. It’s their career and it’s a short career. You’ve got to do things that float your boat, that make you and your family happy.

“A career is all about the memories you’re going to create, not just for yourself but for others as well.

“For some, it’s the thought of devoting yourself to one club is extra, extra special and Owen has done that at Saracens.

“But if things do change, and I don’t know whether they will or they won’t, then it will be for the right reasons for doing the right thing for whatever that person needs to do to be happy.”

Farrell worked as an assistant under Warren Gatland on the 2013 and 2017 tours, experiences that left a lasting impression on the 48-year-old Englishman.

“I love everything above the format. I lover the build up to the games. I love how tough that is for the touring party and all the different dynamics that go with that,” Farrell said.

“When it goes to one-all and the Australians are so relieved like in 2013 – you saw the captain on the floor with tears in his eyes cos you knew what it meant.

“Getting yourself back up that week to put in a performance like we did in the third Test is a memory that will stay with you forever. I’m hoping for another one.”

Bill Belichick has left his role as New England Patriots head coach following 24 years and six Super Bowl titles with the franchise.

Belichick, who had one year remaining on his contract, paid an emotional farewell at a press conference on Thursday afternoon alongside owner Robert Kraft.

The Patriots ended the 2023 season with a 4-13 record, the worst of Belichick’s coaching career, and there had been widespread speculation over his future.

Belichick was named as Patriots coach in 2000 and oversaw an unprecedented run of success, including three Super Bowl titles in the space of four seasons, as well as 17 AFC East division titles and 18 play-off appearances.

The 71-year-old had been in talks with Kraft since the end of the season and confirmed the pair had reached a mutual decision to move on after the most decorated partnership in NFL history.

“Robert and I, after a series of discussions, have mutually agreed to part ways. And for me this is a day of gratitude and celebration,” Belichick said.

“I have so much thanks for the opportunity to be a coach here for 24 years. It is an amazing opportunity, I have received tremendous support.

“We had a vision of building a winner, building a championship football team here.

“That’s exceeded my wildest dreams and expectations, the amount of success that we were able to achieve together through a lot of hard work and contributions of so many people.

“So I am very proud of that. I will always have those great memories which I will carry for the rest of my life.”

Track And Trace played a starring role in a Catterick treble for trainer Jonjo O’Neill and jockey Richie McLernon with victory in the Vickers.Bet North Yorkshire Grand National.

While the Jackdaws Castle handler recalled booting home plenty of winners at Catterick during his illustrious riding career, he is a rare visitor these days, so punters should perhaps have taken note of his presence at the North Yorkshire track’s flagship jumps meeting of the year.

“I can’t remember the last time I was here, to be honest, it will be a while ago,” he said.

“It was a lucky track for me as a jockey, I rode plenty of winners around here, and it’s been a lucky track all round really. It’s a nice little track really and the facilities are really nice now.”

Having struck gold in the previous two races with Time For A Pint and Hasthing respectively, Track And Trace was a 7-2 favourite to provide his trainer and jockey with a third win in little over an hour in the near £21,000 feature and ultimately got the job done in fine style.

After travelling well for much of the three-mile-five-furlong contest, the lightly-raced seven-year-old took over the running with three fences to jump and stuck to his guns on the run-in to beat Crixus’s Escape by two and a quarter lengths, with Court At Slip just a neck further behind in third.

“He jumps well and I was gambling on him staying, but I thought he would and it just went the right way,” said O’Neill.

“He made a couple of little errors, but he hopped away grand. It’s a long trip and he was probably getting a bit tired at the end.

“Hopefully he can move up the ladder a little bit. We’re looking forward to him going forward.”

Time For A Pint justified 3-1 favouritism in the Download Raceday Ready Today Novices’ Handicap Chase, before Hasthing knuckled down to make it two from two over obstacles as a 10-11 shot in the Friends Of Kiplin Hall/EBF ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle.

The latter finished third in the Grade Two Aintree bumper last spring and is now likely to have his sights raised.

O’Neill added: “He’s a big old boy isn’t he – he has a leg in every county!

“He jumped much better today to be fair, it’s more experience and he’s learning all the time. Hopefully he can keep going forward.

“He’s qualified now (for the EBF Final), so we’ll see how he comes out of it, have a chat with Frank (Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus) and see where we go from there.”

Brucio (11-4 favourite) barely broke sweat when opening her account in the opening Watch Racing TV Now Mares’ Maiden Hurdle.

Carrying the colours of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, the Irish raider was a solitary ride on the card for leading jockey Daryl Jacob, who was securing only his second ever Catterick winner.

He said of the Stuart Crawford-trained winner: “She felt good there today and she’s relished the ground. It was a very weak mares’ maiden, the ground was right and everything fell into place for her.

“The more I’ve ridden her the more she’s starting to get the hang of things. She’s a slow burner and hopefully with a summer’s break we might see her improve a little bit more.”

The Sue Smith-trained It’s Maisy (7-2) followed up last month’s Market Rasen victory in the Racingtv.com Mares’ Handicap Hurdle under Nick Schofield, profiting from the final-flight exit of likely winner Minniemum.

Tristan Davidson and Harry Reed combined to land the Every Race Live On Racing TV Handicap Hurdle with 15-2 chance Shantou Moon, while the concluding Racing Again 24th January Handicap Hurdle went to Freddy Robinson (100-30), trained by Brian Ellison and ridden by 7lb claimer William Maggs.

Ronnie O’Sullivan relished the prospect of a “massive, dirty curry” after grinding out a 6-3 win over Barry Hawkins in a Masters quarter-final that lacked spice.

The seven-times winner looked under the weather as he wore a thick coat for his post-match TV interview, muttering: “I fancy a curry – a massive, dirty curry. There’s nothing I don’t like.”

In a match awash with errors from both players, O’Sullivan kicked off with a break of 88 but had to wait until the penultimate frame to post his next half-century, a 60 to move one frame from victory.

Despite riding his luck early on, Hawkins will seldom have a better chance of improving his dismal record against O’Sullivan, having lost 17 of their previous 20 clashes, including a 10-1 thrashing in the 2016 Masters final.

Hawkins, an impressive winner of Neil Robertson in the last 16, could have been 4-0 down at the interval but instead went in all-square after being handed a series of uncharacteristic chances by the world number one.

A missed pink in the second allowed Hawkins to level, and Hawkins was not punished for a rash, missed yellow in the fourth as he somehow made it 2-2 at the interval.

A missed blue, among a number of others, from O’Sullivan gave Hawkins the chance to nudge ahead for the first time at 3-2, but Hawkins failed to take a series of opportunities to establish a two-frame lead.

A horrendous miscue from O’Sullivan, in which he missed the pink completely, was greeted with a sigh of exasperation but Hawkins missed the same ball at a stretch with the spider to let the favourite back in.

Worse was to follow from both players with O’Sullivan emerging on top after a catalogue of errors in frame seven, before wrapping things up to book a last-four clash with either Shaun Murphy or Jack Lisowski.

Andy Farrell described his appointment as British and Irish Lions head coach as “pretty magical” but has ruled out a repeat of the moment that made his name with the tourists.

Farrell takes charge of the Lions for the first time when they visit Australia in 2025 having been a part of Warren Gatland’s management team in 2013 and 2017.

The 48-year-old Englishman was chosen by a committee comprising of Brian O’Driscoll, Ieuan Evans, Nigel Redman and Sir Ian McGeechan, who spent six months on the selection process before unanimously agreeing on the right candidate.

Farrell, the current World Rugby coach of the year, has been rewarded for guiding Ireland to a Grand Slam, an historic 2-1 series victory in New Zealand and to the summit of the global rankings.

“This means the world to me. To be thought of as a candidate for the head coach’s role is pretty special, but to be chosen is pretty magical,” Farrell said.

“For those of us who have been lucky enough to go on a Lions tour, or go as a supporter, knowing what the Lions stand for, we all know how special this is.

“So for me to be chosen as the head coach, it’s beyond words to be honest.”

Farrell insists that Gatland “took a big punt on me in 2013” when he was taken to Australia as a rookie assistant coach and oversaw the defence for a 2-1 series victory.

But the dual code international also provided one of the highlights of the tour by giving his famous ‘hurt arena’ speech before the Sydney decider, imploring his players to reach new levels “because there is no tomorrow”.

The Wallabies were subsequently crushed 41-16 and Farrell’s Lions reputation was made.

“I’ve probably grown up a little bit since then – I’m probably not as dramatic!” Farrell said.

“There won’t be any film star roles from me, just being myself and making sure that the team comes first.

“My coaching style is what it is. It’s me being myself. It’s me trying to put across to the talented group of players that I will be working with that they can express themselves.

“It’s 100 per cent that the talent will be there so I need to work to make sure I let that talent flourish.”

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Farrell begins his role in December having been given the green light by Ireland to take charge of the Lions for their 10-fixture trip that culminates in a three-Test series against the Wallabies.

He has been given a sabbatical by the Irish Rugby Football Union to focus purely on the Lions, meaning he will miss next year’s Six Nations.

One of his most important tasks will be assembling his coaching team, with Paul O’Connell and Gregor Townsend likely to be given prominent roles.

“I’m in no rush at all. There’s a long way to go isn’t there? There’s a lot of coaches just starting in new roles,” Farrell said.

“Some people will get better as coaches under pressure, so I’ll just sit back and watch.

“You’ve got to have the right people on the bus. It’s about excellence as well and the right balance between the coaching staff in general. If you have all the personalities being the same, it won’t feel right.

“If you don’t get the people right that technically and tactically can deliver to these superb players, that won’t feel right either. We’ve got to do the right thing by the team.”

Officials at Wincanton are delighted to play host to Henrietta Knight’s return to the training ranks – but are keeping their fingers crossed the track passes an early Friday morning inspection.

The 77-year-old is best known for the Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning exploits of Best Mate in the early 2000s but has been missing from the training fraternity since handing in her licence in 2012.

However, she announced her plans to end that 12-year hiatus late last year and is set to saddle two runners on the Wincanton card as she begins the new chapter of her decorated career in racing alongside right-hand man Brendan Powell.

Knight is of course no stranger to Wincanton saddling 42 winners from 262 runners during her previous time as a trainer, with her Champion Chase and King George hero Edredon Bleu a winner on four of his five visits to the Somerset track.

“It’s a big day and it’s a testament to their trust in Wincanton to come over and we’re excited,” said clerk of the course Daniel Cooper.

“We heard rumours last week that it could be the case and when we raced on Saturday I asked Brendan Powell and he confirmed it was going to be here.

“It’s lovely and we will look forward to showing Henrietta we are just how she would remember us in the past and we’re a new team here now so it will be good to try to carry on that trust.

“It will be great to have Henrietta and Brendan’s presence here, they are two great figures in racing.”

But before Knight has the chance to enter the saddling boxes to prepare her runners for action, the course will have to pass an 8.30am inspection with Cooper concerned about the prospect of frost affecting areas of the course.

Cooper added: “At the moment (Thursday afternoon) I would be calling this 95 per cent raceable and there are three areas that are frozen in places, so I’m just hoping they improve, and if the forecast temperatures are to be believed, they will improve and we will be OK.

“My god it’s close but things are 95 per cent at Wincanton, but the concern is tonight it freezes again and we arrive to a problem again in the morning.

“I’m not able to do any more than that and it’s a completely precarious situation still, but things are much better now than when I walked the course this morning – I’m convinced it’s better.

“We are going to be having an 8.30am inspection and we want to see a bit of daylight and see what it looks like and if we have to push it back in the morning, we will carry on doing so if we think we will see improvement.

“Everyone wants to race and it is set to be a great day, but we will only do so if it is fit, so we keep our fingers crossed.”

The Prince of Wales has surprised Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield by presenting them with their CBEs during a visit to Headingley Stadium.

William paid tribute to the pair’s “phenomenal” efforts in raising funds and awareness for motor neurone disease (MND).

Sinfield and Burrow, who were Leeds Rhinos team-mates during their playing careers, were made CBEs in the New Year Honours List for services to MND awareness.

Sinfield has raised more than £15million since his friend Burrow was diagnosed with MND, an incurable and life-limiting condition, in December 2019.

Last year, Sinfield, 43, completed the “7 in 7 in 7” challenge by completing seven ultramarathons in seven cities in as many days.

On Thursday, William met Burrow and Sinfield at the stadium, and presented them with their CBEs in front of their wives and the former’s three children.

After talking to the two friends in the dressing room at Headingley, the prince said: “I’ve brought a special couple of things up with me to give you today.

“I did check with Kevin to make sure you didn’t want to go down to London to receive this, but I brought your CBEs up here to give to you today if that’s OK, while you’re in your home, in Leeds, surrounded by your family and friends. I thought today was a good day.”

William told Burrow: “The most amount of thank yous and congratulations for all the inspirational work you’ve done Rob, you’ve been amazing and everyone’s so proud of you.

“We’ve been following your case and all the money you’ve been raising, and you’re changing people’s lives with MND.”

Presenting Sinfield with his CBE, the prince said: “A huge, huge congratulations. It’s been amazing what you’ve done. It really is.

“You’ve raised so much the profile of MND. Your brotherly bond and relationship between the two of you has been so amazing to watch – an inspiration to everyone to go, like ‘this is how we help each other’.

“The groundswell you’ve created in terms of fundraising and looking after each other and for MND is huge. Make sure you look after your knees, your hips, and everything else, but it’s been incredible.”

Burrow welcomed the prince to the venue with a message recorded on an eye gaze machine, saying: “I would like to welcome you to Headingley, the home of Leeds Rhinos, and thank you for coming today. It is an honour to meet you.”

After being described by the prince as an inspiration to the MND community, Burrow said: “I can honestly say that I never set out to be an inspiration, I just wanted to try and help other people in a similar situation to me.

“I’m just trying to live my best life with the cards that I’ve been dealt.”

He added: “I wouldn’t be here without the love and support of my wife Lindsey. She is stronger than any rugby player I ever played against.”

After being asked about their friendship, Sinfield said: “The humour’s different. It’s different in how we communicate but the humour’s still exactly the same, it’s still there. He’s still as mischievous and funny as he’s always been.”

Talking about Burrow’s reputation for “playing tricks” before big games as a player, Sinfield told William about an incident in the dressing room when Burrow rubbed a Jaffa Cake on the white underwear of another player.

The prince joked: “I’m so not telling my children Rob because that’s the sort of thing they’ll do to me.”

Burrow’s daughters Macy and Maya also presented William with three gift bags for his children.

After receiving the CBE, Burrow said: “It is an honour to accept on behalf of the whole MND community. Days like today allow us to keep the spotlight on the disease and continue to raise awareness and, hopefully, funds to fight the disease and support those who are living with MND and their families.

“It was wonderful that His Royal Highness was able to come to Headingley to see us and very much appreciated. It was lovely to talk to him and for me to meet my family.”

All In You will head to Kempton on Saturday in a bid to replicate a neat Fontainebleau success as part of a renewed team for owner-jockey David Maxwell.

Maxwell owns a string of horses and rides on an amateur licence, with his most recent successes in the saddle including Joker De Mai in a Lingfield handicap, Queensbury Boy in a Chepstow bumper and All In You’s Fontainebleau win.

The latter horse is trained by French-based Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm and will now cross the Channel to contest a juvenile hurdle at Kempton after a neat victory on home turf in mid-December was added to a prior win on the Flat.

The four-year-old was purchased by French agent Guy Petit after his racecourse debut and changed hands and stables having previously been trained by Stephanie Nigge.

“I bought him privately, I can’t even remember how much I gave for him as I tend to blank it out of my mind as a distasteful experience!” said Maxwell.

“He’d won a Flat race and Guy reckoned he looked the business. Sure enough, when he won first time he was the business.

“He jumped straightforwardly and he’s got a bit of a turn of foot, he’s really nice.”

George and Zetterholm hit a significant career milestone at Kempton when their stable flag bearer Il Est Francais won the Grade One Kauto Star Novices’ Chase on Boxing Day, giving them a natural inclination to return to the track.

“I didn’t really have a plan, I just thought he was a nice horse and he went to Noel who said ‘let’s just run him’,” Maxwell said.

“I was probably going to bring him over here but then they ran him and he won, then Noel said ‘let’s send him to Kempton’ because Noel likes coming over to Kempton now for obvious reasons!

“Nothing has come out of that race in France yet so I don’t know if it was an egg and spoon race or if it was decent, but he did it well.

“We’ll see after we run him what sort of horse we have, he’s only a baby.”

All In You is one of a number of nice prospects Maxwell has sourced from the point-to-point field and the French circuit, bringing in younger horses as the older campaigners he is associated with hit their veteran years.

He said: “I’ve restocked, Noel Fehily and David Crosse have been buying Irish pointers for me and Guy Petit has been buying horses in France.

“They’re a nice bunch of young horses, you’ve just got to be patient with them and let them grow and mature and risk the urge to play with the shiny new toys.”

Seasoned chasers such as Bob And Co, Saint Calvados, Cat Tiger and Simply The Betts have been good servants for Maxwell in recent years, but the sad fate of the latter has affirmed his approach of enjoying his horses with few fixed plans.

He said: “I’ll just be led by them, you can’t make plans with horses and I’ll give you an example.

“I laid out a plan for the last 18 months that Simply The Betts was going to win the Foxhunters this year. A Cheltenham specialist, he’s a two-and-a-half-miler but with his age he’ll get the trip, he’s eligible for hunter chasing this year.

“He was going to go to Kelso next week to open his account in a hunter chase and he died last week from colic, we did all we could for him.

“It’s a microcosm of life and sadly it happens. That’s why you can’t really plan, you’ve just got to enjoy it and keep smiling.

“We’ll hopefully stay happy, stay healthy and win some races, that’s the plan, and just keep enjoying it.”

Jonjo O’Neill has not given up hope of getting Monbeg Genius back on track in time to contest the Randox Grand National, despite being forced to miss another big-race engagement at Warwick this weekend.

Last seen finishing third in the in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in early December, the eight-year-old is the 14-1 co-favourite with Paddy Power for the Aintree spectacular alongside last year’s first and third, Corach Rambler and Gaillard Du Mesnil.

However, a minor setback led to him not taking up his place as ante-post favourite for the Welsh Grand National over the festive period and he will also miss Saturday’s Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase.

“He doesn’t run on Saturday, he’s still not right, he’s not recovered,” O’Neill said at Catterick on Thursday.

“He’ll be all right, but I don’t know when he’ll be able to run. He hasn’t done any work, so he won’t be running for a little while I’d say.”

The Jackdaws Castle trainer admits he will need to get another run and potentially another win into his charge to ensure he makes the cut for what will be a 34-runner National for the first time this year.

He added: “He still could be a Grand National horse, it’s a few months away. That is still in the back of our minds obviously, but he needs to come right first. There’s no point running them if they’re not right.

“He will have to run before then (Aintree), he probably needs to win to get into the weights now the field has been cut down.

“If he can’t go there, he could go for the Scottish National or Midlands National or something like that. He has plenty of time, but he’s a horse for those races.”

Victor Wembanyama was delighted to make a "statement" with his first NBA triple-double on Wednesday, having helped the San Antonio Spurs past the Detroit Pistons with a dominant display.

Last year's number one draft pick finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists at Little Caesars Arena as the Spurs ended a five-game losing streak with a 130-108 win over their struggling opponents.

In doing so, Wembanyama – at the age of 20 years and six days – became the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double with no turnovers since turnovers were first tracked in 1977-78, surpassing Andre Iguodala, who did so aged 21 years and 54 days in 2005.

Wembanyama's achievement was made all the more impressive by the fact he played just 21 minutes and two seconds overall, the second-fewest minutes needed for a triple-double in the shot-clock era (since 1954-55).

The Frenchman was under a minute away from the outright record, with Russell Westbrook having recorded a triple-double in 20 minutes and 17 seconds for the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2014, against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Speaking after the win, Wembanyama said of his landmark performance: "Doing it in a win is everything, of course. I didn't know it was the second-fastest in NBA history. 

"It matters to me. I'm not the type to talk for nothing. This is the kind of statement we want to make as a team, and this is the type of statement I want to make as a player."

The Pistons were one of the teams who had hoped to recruit Wembanyama, with Detroit having failed to secure the first overall draft pick despite finishing with the league's worst record last year.

Asked about Detroit's previous interest in him, Wembanyama said: "It's weird to imagine a different future and what could have been."

Detroit also have the worst record in the NBA this season, sitting at 3-35 after losing six straight games. Their current losing run started after a win over the Toronto Raptors in late December, which itself halted a joint-record 28-game losing streak.

Pistons coach Monty Williams was unimpressed after a poor first quarter set the tone for another disappointing outing, saying: "The focus and discipline wasn't there.

"There's nobody to look at other than me, not having guys ready to play."

Whispering Royal will attempt to put himself in the Cheltenham Festival picture when he lines up in the Weatherbys Chatteris Fen Juvenile Hurdle at Huntingdon on Friday.

A useful cast of six have assembled for another competitive running of the juvenile event, with Paul Nicholls’ French import Kabral Du Mathan heading most bookmakers lists ahead of his first outing for the Ditcheat team.

Whispering Royal has already tasted defeat at the hands of the same connections’ Liari earlier in the season, but stepped up markedly on that Wincanton third when a taking winner at Doncaster last month.

Alan King’s youngster now has the chance to follow in the footsteps of recently-retired Barbury Castle stalwart Sceau Royal, who won this contest in 2016, while also going a step closer to booking his ticket to Prestbury Park in the spring.

“It looks like a hot race on paper, as it always is,” said Ella McNeill, National Hunt racing manager for owners Chelsea Thoroughbreds.

“Alan has been really pleased with him at home and he’s a horse that takes his racing really well. He’s been running since the beginning of the summer on the Flat and I hope we go there with a nice chance.

“I think he prefers the better side of soft so hopefully it keeps drying out and doesn’t get too tacky, but I think we will really know what we have got on Friday.

“He obviously won really nicely at Doncaster in the middle of December and I think this is the perfect next race to see what we have really.

“I think most of the horses in there will be looking at the Boodles (Fred Winter) at the Festival so it is nice timing in terms of it being six weeks until Cheltenham. We will see if we can go there after this.”

Gary Moore has won this with Kotmask and Perseus Way in the past two years and will be relying on wide-margin Fontwell scorer Soigneux Bell to bring up the hat-trick.

“He schooled well over hurdles, but then the first time I ran him over them he was disappointing and he was disappointing the next day at Huntingdon,” said Moore.

“When he won at Fontwell I was much happier, and I think he is just starting to come together.

“He needs to improve a lot to win this on Friday, but I did have this race earmarked out for him.

“He seemed much happier on the softer ground the other day as it was his first time on it over here since coming over from France. Hopefully he will continue improving.”

Although that was Soigneux Bell’s first victory in the three starts over obstacles at Fontwell, Moore is yet to totally give up on the four-year-old taking his place at the Festival in March.

He added: “I hoped this lad was going to be a Triumph Hurdle horse, but I don’t think he is that at the moment. He would have to win well on Friday and prove me wrong.

“There are some nice handicaps at the end of the season for juveniles and that is the route he is likely to go down.

“If the owners want to go to the Cheltenham Festival then he would run in the Fred Winter (Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle), but he would need to go up in the handicap to get in that.”