Ronnie O’Sullivan has announced his withdrawal from next week’s Welsh Open in Llandudno due to anxiety.
The world number one has had a productive season so far with victories at the UK Championship, the Masters and the World Grand Prix.
But his success has been increasingly underpinned by health concerns that have seen him withdraw from a series of lesser ranking events.
O’Sullivan wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “Morning guys, I wanted to let you know that I’ve decided I’m not able to play in Llandudno next week.
“It’s hard to explain but for years I’ve suffered from stage fright at times, brought on by anxiety. It’s not something I can predict or control but I try to manage it as best as I can.
“I’m sorry to everyone who’s bought tickets but I just can’t get my cue out when I feel like this and I think this is what’s best for me right now.
“I still want to be around the tournament so I’ll be doing some work with Eurosport and I hope to see you all there.”
The Welsh Open is the seventh ranking tournament in which O’Sullivan has elected not to play this season, along with the Champion of Champions event in Bolton in November.
After withdrawing from the German Masters in January, O’Sullivan stressed the need to focus on his “health and wellbeing” despite his continued success on the table.
He has been investigated by his sport’s governing body over comments he made about unsanctioned exhibition matches, and also over an expletive-laden rant at rival Ali Carter following his Masters final win in January, in which he described Carter as “a f****** nightmare”.
D'Angelo Russell believes the Los Angeles Lakers are only going to get better after he scored 30 points to help seal a 139-122 home win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Lakers put up 87 first-half points in a spectacular start as they bounced back from their loss to the Denver Nuggets with a big win against the Pelicans on Friday.
Austin Reaves had 27 points and LeBron James added 21 with 14 assists for the Lakers, who tied a franchise record with 51 points in the second quarter.
Russell scored 21 in the first half and all five starters had at least 12 while the Lakers hit 11 3-pointers and 67.4 percent of their overall shots.
Back in the lineup after missing the Nuggets loss through injury, Russell thinks there is much more to come from Los Angeles (28-26).
"The chemistry is definitely growing," Russell said to the Los Angeles Times.
"The trade deadline just ended, so guys are a little bit more comfortable. So, I think it’s only going to get better from here.
"With all the guys we have, it’s going to allow guys to step up when their names are called. It was a good job."
While the Lakers did not make any moves at the trade deadline, they do hope to add free agent Spencer Dinwiddie, who was waived by the Toronto Raptors after being traded from the Brooklyn Nets.
Dinwiddie attended the game and sat with general manager Rob Pelinka before visiting the Lakers’ locker room.
He is believed to be deciding between the Lakers and former team the Dallas Mavericks, who the guard visited with on Thursday.
James and Anthony Davis are optimistic about the prospect of Dinwiddie signing.
"Playmaking, another ball handler, another shot-maker, another guy, another veteran," LeBron said after being asked what Dinwiddie would bring.
"Anytime you can add a veteran with that ability, it helps. So we will see what happens."
Davis added: "Obviously, we have seen what he did with Brooklyn and what he did with Dallas making big plays for them. He is a well-established player."
There were 20 points from Davis despite being limited by foul trouble. He can feel a sense of relief among the Lakers squad after the trade deadline passed.
"I'm just glad the day is over," he said ahead of the game. "It can kind of make it a little wacky around the trade deadline time, guys hearing their names in rumors, and if this is going to happen, not going to happen.
"It can kind of weigh on guys. So, I'm just glad it is over. We are who we are and we have who we have.
"It is on us to figure out how we can get more wins and move up in the standings."
Los Angeles is ninth in the Western Conference, winning four times in five games before it hosts Detroit on Tuesday.
Zion Williamson had 30 points for the Pelicans (30-22) and Brandon Ingram contributed 22 against his former team as a four-game winning streak was snapped. New Orleans is at Portland on Saturday.
Andy Farrell hopes Ireland can fire up a sold-out Dublin crowd and prevent a zombie-like atmosphere during their homecoming against Italy.
The reigning Guinness Six Nations champions are poised to play at the Aviva Stadium for the first time since an agonising World Cup quarter-final exit to New Zealand in October.
Tens of thousands of travelling fans celebrated each of Ireland’s pool-stage wins in France with rousing renditions of the team’s tournament anthem – Zombie by the Cranberries.
Head coach Farrell wants to continue the special connection with supporters on Sunday afternoon when his side take on opposition narrowly beaten by England on the opening weekend of the championship.
“Well I hope they’re not patient in just being quiet and waiting to get going,” he said of the fans.
“I hope we can excite them in our intent and the way that we can go and play the game.
“Everyone who watched Italy’s game last week knows that they’re going to be a threat and I think our fans will certainly get behind our side.
“The first time (at home) since the World Cup warm-up games and it is something that the players have talked about and are excited about.”
Ireland launched their title defence with a statement 38-17 success over pre-tournament favourites France in Marseille.
Italy, who were defeated 27-24 by Steve Borthwick’s side in Rome the following day, have lost each of their previous 12 Six Nations fixtures on Irish soil.
Farrell has made six personnel changes to his starting XV and selected Caelan Doris as captain for the first time but dismissed any notion of over-confidence.
“You know me, I’m not disrespectful to anyone,” said the Englishman.
“It’s not the way that I am but, honestly, it is about us.
“It’s about us improving on last week and the expectation that we’ve got within our own four walls, of an understanding of how we kick on in all parts of our game.
“It’s genuine, it’s there, it’s obvious to see for us the levels that we need to get to, not just on the field but off the field as well.
“The players are very honest and it’d be wrong for us to waste a week and not progress.”
Back-rower Doris leads his country from openside flanker having only captained Leinster for the first time in a 22-21 United Rugby Championship loss to Ulster on New Year’s Day.
The 25-year-old revealed he “annoyed” referee Frank Murphy that day by questioning decisions which turned out to be correct, an experience he and Farrell have discussed.
“We obviously speak about it,” said Farrell.
“Caelan is a humble type of guy and would always be his biggest critic, that’s what you would expect of someone who wants to learn and get better.
“I know that I made many a call and I probably wasn’t as humble as that on my first outing as a captain when I was playing.
“I’ve no doubt he would have learnt from that massively. He’s a thinker.”
Domantas Sabonis notched his league-leading 16th triple-double of the season and Malik Monk scored 23 points to lead the Sacramento Kings to a 135-106 win over the Denver Nuggets on Friday.
Sabonis had 17 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists for his third triple-double in four games to break a tie with Denver’s Nikola Jokić for the NBA triple-doubles lead.
Sabonis is attempting to become the second Kings player in the Sacramento era to lead the league in triple-doubles. Chris Webber shared the league lead of five with Jason Kidd during the 1999-2000 season.
Nikola Jokić scored 23 points and Aaron Gordon added 14 for the Nuggets, who had a three-game winning streak stopped and missed a chance to jump Minnesota for the top spot in the Western Conference.
Tatum, Brown power Celtics
Jayson Tatum had 35 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists and Kristaps Porzingis added 34 points and 11 boards to lead the Boston Celtics to their league-leading 40th win of the season, 133-129 over the Washington Wizards.
Jrue Holiday had 20 points and Jaylen Brown was right behind with 18 as the Celtics reached 40 wins the fastest in a season since the 2008-09 team did it in 49 games.
Deni Avdija tallied 24 points and 11 rebounds and Corey Kispert also scored 24 for the Wizards, who have lost five straight and 11 of 13 games.
Lakers start fast in win over Pelicans
D’Angelo Russell scored 30 points and the Los Angeles Lakers put up 87 first-half points in a 139-122 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Austin Reaves had 27 points and LeBron James added 21 with 14 assists for the Lakers, who tied a franchise record with 51 points in the second quarter. Russell scored 21 in the first half and all five starters had at least 12 while the Lakers hit 11 3-pointers and 67.4 percent of their overall shots.
Zion Williamson had 30 points and Brandon Ingram contributed 22 as the Pelicans saw their four-game winning streak snapped.
Marc-Andre Fleury made 32 saves after he was honoured for a milestone victory and Kirill Kaprizov scored the tiebreaking goal to lift the Minnesota Wild to a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday.
Fleury, who earned his 553rd career win, was honoured in a pregame ceremony nearly a month after passing Patrick Roy (551) for second place in NHL history.
Fleury beat his former team in his return after missing five games due to an upper-body injury.
Matt Boldy and Jonas Brodin scored for Minnesota before Kaprizov banged home a rebound at 9:34 of the third period to put the Wild ahead 3-2.
Reilly Smith and Sidney Crosby scored for the Penguins, who dropped to 0-3-1 in their last four road games.
Oilers rally for 17th win in 18 games
Evander Kane had a hat trick and Connor McDavid set up three third-period goals as the Edmonton Oilers rallied for their 17th win in 18 games, 5-3 over the Anaheim Ducks.
Leon Draisaitl added a goal and an assist and Zach Hyman also scored as the Oilers rebounded after their 16-game winning streak – tied for the second-longest in NHL history – was snapped Tuesday at Vegas.
The Ducks had a four-game point streak halted despite getting two goals from Ryan Strome.
Rangers win in overtime after blowing lead
Mika Zibanejad scored at 2:36 of overtime and the New York Rangers topped the league-worst Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 after squandering a two-goal lead.
Chris Kreider, Alexis Lafreniere and Jonny Brodzinski had the other goals for the Rangers, who have won four straight.
Zibanejad’s goal was his franchise-record eighth in OT, breaking a tie with Brian Leetch, Cecil Dillon and Butch Keeling.
Alex Vlasic scored in the first period and Nick Foligno and Jason Dickinson had third-period goals as Chicago’s winless streak reached six games (0-5-1).
Canada’s Nick Taylor has matched the TPC Scottsdale Stadium course record at the Phoenix Open to head into the weekend tied for the lead with America’s Andrew Novak.
Taylor finished his first round with an 11-under 60 on Friday, thanks to weather delays that saw the first round spill over into the tournament’s second day.
Returning to the course later on Friday to start his second round, Taylor began on shaky ground before pulling it together with two birdies on the back nine to card a one-under 70.
That puts him equal with Novak at the top of the leaderboard on 12-under.
Due to inclement weather, more than half of the field still needs to finish the second round on Saturday, although more rain is forecast.
Five-time Commonwealth Games champion Claudia Fragapane has announced her retirement from gymnastics at the age of 26.
Fragapane, who also won two World Championship medals including being part of the team that claimed an historic bronze in 2015, said it was “the right time” to leave the sport.
The Bristol athlete shot to fame when she won four golds at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014, and later found a whole new fanbase when she competed in the 2016 edition of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.
Fragapane told British Gymnastics: “It feels like the right time. I’m really happy with my career, gymnastics has been my whole life for as long as I remember, but now I’m ready to flick over a new chapter.
“I started gymnastics at six years old, and from my first session at Bristol Hawks I said ‘I want to go to the Olympics’. I don’t think I knew how hard that would be at the time.
“But I absolutely loved the competitive side of gymnastics, I loved working hard to achieve what I wanted to. Once I started to get selected for squads, I just had this hunger to achieve more and more, and be the best I could be.”
Fragapane realised her Olympic dream when she competed at the 2016 Games in Rio. After recovering from a series of serious injuries, she won her fifth Commonwealth Games gold medal as part of the Great Britain women’s team in Birmingham in 2022.
George Ford insisted England were still adjusting to life without Owen Farrell as they forged a new identity under Jamie George.
Farrell ruled himself out of the Guinness Six Nations for mental wellbeing reasons and having agreed to join Racing 92 next season, will then be ineligible for international selection.
For over a decade, Test centurion Farrell has been the dominant figure in English rugby, as well as serving as the national side’s talisman, goalkicker, playmaker-in-chief and captain.
But it will be George who leads out the team in Saturday’s clash with Wales at Twickenham as England continue to rebuild after the 2023 World Cup.
“It is different without him. He has been here for so long,” Ford said.
“He has been such an integral part – he has been our captain, he has been a massive leader for us and he stamps his authority on our team.
“So him not being here, of course it’s different, but there is always a time when things change.
“For us, for me and the other leaders, it’s about not trying to replicate what it was like with him here, but be a bit more authentic. Jamie has done that brilliantly.”
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Farrell’s absence – combined with Marcus Smith’s calf injury – provides the opportunity for Ford to cement his latest incarnation as ringmaster.
The 30-year-old Sale Shark has 92 caps, 65 of them starts and regularly formed a playmaking axis alongside Farrell, yet under each of Stuart Lancaster, Eddie Jones and Steve Borthwick, he has made way for his long-term friend for critical games.
Most recently, he was demoted after last autumn’s World Cup group match against Argentina despite drop-kicking 14-man England to victory as part of a fly-half masterclass.
While being dropped still hurts, he has learned to roll with the punches in the belief his time will come again.
“I have been through all the emotions – frustrated, disappointed, gutted, angry. It means a lot to you so you are going to have the emotions,” Ford said.
“But what these experiences have done – because it has obviously happened a few times – is allow you to deal with those moments a bit better and stay a little bit neutral about it.
“When I was younger, when you are starting and playing every weekend and then you get dropped, you are rock bottom and it is a rollercoaster ride.
“Whereas now, you still go through the emotions – angry, gutted and all them – but it is about how quickly you can get back to accepting whatever the new role is.
“I always back myself to go out there and keep getting better in case I do get another opportunity. It’s about belief and a consistency.
“Since making my debut for England, the one constant and consistent thing is the debate around who plays number 10 for England. I’m not sure why.
“You become used to the exterior noise. Everyone’s got their opinion on who should play and the way England should play.
“I make all the choices I do to be the best player I can be and do the best job for England. If some people agree – or don’t – on who should be playing for England, for me that’s massively irrelevant.”
George North says his drive and desire is undiminished as he prepares to take up membership of an exclusive club.
The Wales centre, who wins his 119th cap against England at Twickenham on Saturday, also clocks up 50 appearances in the Six Nations Championship.
It is a feat achieved by only four other Welshmen – North’s fellow cap centurions Alun Wyn Jones, Gethin Jenkins, Stephen Jones and Martyn Williams.
The 31-year-old has been backed by Wales head coach Warren Gatland to make a fifth successive World Cup in Australia during 2027, which would see him equal the record jointly held by Brian Lima, Sergio Parisse and Mauro Bergamasco.
That possibility is some distance down the road, but North’s form and consistency underpins a player who shows no sign of slowing up.
He made his Six Nations debut 13 years ago and heads to Twickenham as the only player in Wales’ matchday 23 to have experienced a Test match victory at the home of English rugby – winning there in 2012 and 2015.
“My drive has never changed,” North said.
“It is always the three feathers. The honour, the privilege and the respect I have for the jersey is something that keeps me focused every day, keeps me working every day.
“I am sure there are a fair few people who say I should have finished a few years ago, but that fight in me and that desire in me to do best by the jersey and do best by Wales has always kept me focused.
“In a four-year cycle, there is a lot of rugby to be played.
“Another World Cup (training) camp is an interesting debate and that will be a coffee with Gats, I imagine. To get to that point, I have got to go for another four years.
“Obviously, I can’t promise that my body will still be in a position to fight and compete, but I am doing everything I can to be the best I can be to perform.”
North is the oldest player on duty for Wales this weekend, while his cap total is more than the entire eight-strong Wales replacements bench combined.
But he relishes being part of a new-look squad and the young talent that is emerging – players like Cameron Winnett, Ioan Lloyd, Keiron Assiratti, Alex Mann and Archie Griffin, who are all involved at Twickenham.
And it has shades of a 19-year-old North heading to his first World Cup in 2011 when his colleagues included Sam Warburton, Taulupe Faletau, Leigh Halfpenny, Dan Lydiate and Jonathan Davies, who were all 23 or younger.
“I don’t want to sound old and say I don’t remember those days, but they are very similar,” North added.
“The only difference is probably when I came through in that group of young players we had a few more senior players for a bit longer to help guide, mould and perform.
“I have been massively impressed with the young boys coming through. Their application, that intensity – you have got to go, go and go – and how they are adapting to that is really good.
“They have got a great opportunity now to stamp their authority on the jersey, a great opportunity to stamp how they want this cycle to look going into the next World Cup, and what an exciting opportunity that is for me to be part of that.”
Ireland boss Andy Farrell said Caelan Doris’ leadership development during his reign has been “astonishing” after naming him captain for Sunday’s Guinness Six Nations clash with Italy.
Leinster back-rower Doris made his Test debut in the first match of the Farrell era – a 19-12 win over Scotland in 2020 in which he was forced off within five minutes due to concussion.
The 25-year-old has been switched from number eight to openside flanker for the Azzurri’s visit to Dublin and will lead his country in place of the injured Peter O’Mahony.
Farrell, who has made six personnel changes to his starting XV following last week’s 38-17 demolition of France, has been considering Doris as a potential skipper since last year’s World Cup.
Asked what he has seen in the player, the head coach said: “A lot, obviously.
“To put him in that position is a massive privilege for me, as I’m sure it is for Caelan and his family, so let’s recognise that, first and foremost.
“He’s someone that has been on my mind certainly through the World Cup and how he has come on as a leader and how he has dealt with being an international, top-class player over the years.
“His story, as it were, from his first cap to where he is now, has been astonishing really, behind the scenes.
“We are excited to give him the reins and let’s see what he can do with it.”
O’Mahony and prop Tadhg Furlong have been ruled out due to calf injuries, while centre Bundee Aki has a knee issue and Garry Ringrose continues to nurse a shoulder problem.
Farrell is hopeful the absentees will return to training ahead of Ireland hosting Wales on February 24.
Scrum-half Craig Casey, centre Stuart McCloskey, prop Finlay Bealham, lock James Ryan and back-rowers Ryan Baird and Jack Conan come into the team, while Tadhg Beirne has a weekend off and Jamison Gibson-Park and Josh van der Flier drop to the bench.
Doris will wear the number seven jersey for his country for the first time since claiming two tries in a 33-17 World Cup warm-up win over Italy in August, with Conan in the centre of the back row and Baird at blindside.
“He is someone that is unbelievably professional, very diligent in his own preparation,” Farrell said of Doris, who will win his 38th cap.
“Therefore because he is so comfortable in his own skin, he is able to think outside the box as far as helping everyone else with the bigger picture stuff.
“We have seen that flourish massively over the last couple of years, but more so throughout the World Cup.
“He is a very calm, calculated type of individual that will have that reassurance on the rest of the group.”
Doris was selected as skipper ahead of recalled provincial team-mate Ryan.
Ryan has captained Ireland in the past but has to be content with just a return to the second row alongside Joe McCarthy, who starred in Marseille.
“James Ryan’s chomping at the bit to show his worth and start, and big Joe is ready to compete again,” said Farrell.
“Then obviously Calvin Nash and Jack (Crowley) get another shot at it. Ryan Baird has been playing outstandingly well, he’s obviously been very good for us off the bench, to start the game is a different challenge for him.
“Craig Casey has been jumping out of his skin and playing well, and deserves a start.
“For me, it’s a hell of a pack and a good team at that, so it excites me being able to be in that position.”
Christian Horner’s Formula One career remains in the balance after he was questioned by a lawyer for eight hours on Friday.
The embattled Red Bull team principal, 50, was answering an accusation of “inappropriate behaviour” by a female colleague – a claim he categorically denies.
Horner’s interview took place at a secret London location.
It had originally been diaried for Red Bull Racing’s Milton Keynes headquarters.
But such has been the level of interest in the allegations against Horner, which emerged publicly on Monday, a change in venue was sourced.
Neither Red Bull Racing, who last year helped Max Verstappen win his third world championship, nor its parent company Red Bull GmBH – who are carrying out the investigation – commented about the details of the hearing which the PA news agency understands started at 10am and ran until the early evening.
Red Bull are set to unveil their car for the new season next Thursday, and there had been a strong desire for Horner’s future to be resolved before then.
But sources have indicated that is now looking highly doubtful, with the likelihood of Horner facing subsequent rounds of questioning as he bids to prove his innocence.
Indeed, it is thought the investigation may not be wrapped up before pre-season testing gets under way on February 21, and could rumble on until the opening round in Bahrain on March 2, and possibly beyond.
Horner has been Red Bull team principal since they entered F1 19 years ago and is the longest-serving boss on the grid.
During that period he has overseen seven drivers’ world championships and six constructors’ titles.
Red Bull have dominated the sport in recent seasons and last year won 21 of the 22 races, with Verstappen setting a new record for 10 consecutive victories.
For now, Horner remains in his role, and it is still anticipated that he will attend the team’s season launch in Milton Keynes next week.
A spokesperson for Red Bull GmBH said earlier this week: “After being made aware of certain recent allegations, the company launched an independent investigation.”
It added that “the company takes these matters extremely seriously.”
In response to the allegations, Horner said: “I completely deny these claims.”
Emma Raducanu has been given a wild card into the Qatar Open and will face Anhelina Kalinina in the opening round.
The former US Open champion revealed after losing to Ons Jabeur in the second round of the WTA Tour event in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday that she was hoping to play in Doha.
Her wish has been granted and the 21-year-old, who has won three of her six matches following her return from eight months on the sidelines, will open her campaign against 32nd-ranked Ukrainian Kalinina early next week.
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They have played once before, on the clay courts of Madrid in 2022, with Kalinina winning a close contest in three sets.
The winner of the match will take on big-hitting eighth seed Jelena Ostapenko, who has already won two titles this season.
Raducanu has shown early promise after returning to the tour at the beginning of January following her recovery from three operations last spring, on both wrists and one ankle.
A comprehensive first-round win over Marie Bouzkova in Abu Dhabi saw Raducanu produce some of her best form since her 2021 victory in New York, but she was disappointed by a 6-4 6-1 defeat against Jabeur.
“It was a tough match,” said Raducanu. “Ons is a difficult opponent so credit to her, she played really well and it’s just a match that personally I need to forget about.”
The Qatar tournament, the first WTA 1000 event of the season – the highest level of the tour – sees both Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff playing for the first time since the Australian Open, but Melbourne champion Aryna Sabalenka is not in the field.
Leading Randox Grand National contender Monbeg Genius will not be affected by a restraint order placed on the assets of owners Baroness Michelle Mone and her husband Doug Barrowman, the British Horseracing Authority has confirmed.
Assets linked to the couple have been frozen, as a National Crime Agency investigation into PPE firm Medpro continues.
According to the Financial Times, about £75million of assets, including a townhouse in Belgravia and an estate on the Isle of Man, have either been frozen or restrained following an application by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
The Jonjo O’Neill-trained Monbeg Genius, officially owned by Barrowman Racing Limited, was third behind Corach Rambler and Fastorslow in the Ultima Handicap at last year’s Cheltenham Festival and was last seen finishing in the same position in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in early December.
He has since missed potential outings in the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow and the Classic Chase at Warwick due to a setback.
The BHA said last month it was looking into how a court order would affect the couple’s equine string and they have now been cleared to race.
A statement released by the ruling body on Friday read: “Having been made aware of a restraint order on a number of assets belonging to Michelle Mone and Doug Barrowman, the BHA liaised with relevant parties in order to understand the potential implications this had for their involvement in racing.
“Following these discussions, the BHA can confirm that horses in the ownership of Barrowman Racing Ltd are not affected by the restraint order and are therefore permitted to continue to race.”
O’Neill said last month he hoped Monbeg Genius would come right in time for Aintree, but that he would need a run beforehand to make the cut for the race, which this year will have a reduced field of 34 runners.
His ante-post price for the National on April 13 ranges from 14-1 to 20-1.
Edwardstone bids to get his season back on track in the Betfair Exchange Game Spirit Chase at Newbury.
Winner of the Arkle at Cheltenham and the Tingle Creek at Sandown two years ago, Alan King’s stable star kicked off this season by chasing home the Nicky Henderson-trained Jonbon in successive races.
As a result, Edwardstone was stepped up in trip for last month’s Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton, but faded tamely after racing keenly and came home a well beaten last of four finishers.
King believes the decision to hold up the 10-year-old in a bid to conserve his stamina may have backfired and he is looking forward to seeing him return to two miles on Saturday, albeit in testing conditions.
“All is well, he seemed to come out of that run (at Kempton) in good form and he’s done plenty of work since,” said the Barbury Castle handler.
“I need to get him out and the ground is the same for all of them. He’s got form on heavy ground, I’m not saying he’s at his best on it, but he has gone on it and I’m very keen to run him.
“Kempton was disappointing and we don’t really know why, whether we disappointed him by taking him back, I’m not sure, but I’m inclined to put a line through that and we’ll see what happens on Saturday.”
Edwardstone is entered in the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Ryanair Chase at next month’s Cheltenham Festival but King added: “I’m not even thinking about Cheltenham, I want to get Saturday out of the way and then we’ll see.”
His biggest threat this weekend appears to be Boothill, who won a couple of lucrative handicaps at Ascot in the autumn before falling as favourite for Kempton’s Desert Orchid Chase over the Christmas period.
Trainer Harry Fry has been pleased with his nine-year-old since, but will check on the ground before confirming his participation on Saturday.
He said: “He seems in good form with himself, he was thankfully none the worse for his fall and has schooled well since.
“It was obviously frustrating at Kempton, but we get to go again and this has always really been the plan. We are just mindful though that conditions could be testing enough, so we’ll just see when we get there how it’s riding and go from there.
“We took him out earlier in the season on heavy ground at Sandown in the Tingle Creek, so that’s the only slight reservation I have.
“He’s got form on soft, but heavy is a different ballgame.”
Editeur Du Gite won that Desert Orchid Chase in December, but subsequently finished last of five when defending his crown in the rescheduled Clarence House at Cheltenham, and Gary Moore has indicated he is likely to sidestep the race due to the ground.
The Venetia Williams-trained Funambule Sivola is out to secure a third successive victory in this Grade Two contest, but will need to bounce back from a disappointing run of form.
With Calico declared a non-runner, the field is completed by Joe Tizzard’s Amarillo Sky, who makes his first competitive appearance since finishing fourth in last year’s Clarence House.
Anthony Honeyball is eyeing up a big double at Ascot and Haydock a week on Saturday.
The Dorset trainer has set his sights on landing the Grade Two Sodexo Live! Novices’ Chase with Kilbeg King, who kept on gamely when third behind Il Est Francais at Kempton on Boxing Day.
Kilbeg King was a two-time winner over hurdles last term, including a notable success at the Punchestown Festival, and has been highly tried over fences.
The nine-year-old is ante-post favourite for the Coral Trophy Handicap Chase back at Kempton later this month but will instead stay in novice company for a race registered as the Reynoldstown.
“He was third in the Grade One Kauto Star last time out and has been shunted up the handicap, he went up 7lb for that,” said Honeyball.
“Therefore, he’s sort of worked his way into the better races, so he goes for the Reynoldstown Novices’ on the 17th.
“He actually moved into the race turning in at Kempton, having been out of the firing line – he actually moved into it quite nicely, but obviously couldn’t quite match the winner.
“He’s ante-post favourite for the Coral Trophy at Kempton as well, but we’ve got the second favourite for that in Forward Plan, and Kilbeg King will go to Ascot instead.
“His Gold Cup for quite a while has been the Reynoldstown and then if he passes that test well, and doesn’t have too hard a race, we’d be looking at the three-mile-five amateur riders’ chase at Cheltenham then.
“If Paul Nicholls doesn’t need him, we’d be hopeful of getting Will Biddick, who was second for us in the race a few years ago.
“We’d like to renew that partnership if we can, but if Paul needed him, he’d ride for Paul, I’d imagine.”
Honeyball is also hoping Credo can make it third time lucky in terms of winning at Haydock this term, as she travels back up to Merseyside for the Virgin Bet Grand National Trial.
The nine-year-old finished second and third there, behind Famous Bridge on both occasions, before a creditable fourth in the Classic Chase at Warwick.
“She could be up against Famous Bridge again, who has beaten her twice but was pulled up in the Great Yorkshire, so we might have a chance against him this time,” said Honeyball.
“She’s been ever so consistent and is a cracking mare. We feel like maybe one of these has got her name on it.
“She’s had a lot of hard races now, so we could be due a bit of a drop off, but we have targeted this race, so we just hope we’ve got another big effort under the bonnet.
“She’ll handle the ground whichever way it goes; if it goes soft, she’ll handle it and if it goes better ground over three and a half, that’s fine as well.
“She’s probably one of those that just falls into the category of more than likely she’ll run her race, but will she always find one or two too good for her.
“But we’re just hoping this one has got her name on it.
“We’ve got horses in there in the mix for all these big races and it’s been going like that this season, which is great.”
Dan Skelton believes there are “no negatives” as he prepares to send Protektorat into battle against Shishkin in Saturday’s Betfair Denman Chase at Newbury.
Nicky Henderson’s Shishkin will be a warm order to open his account for the campaign, having looked the likely winner of the King George VI Chase before unseating Nico de Boinville two fences from home.
However, in Protektorat he faces a high-class and race-fit rival who Skelton is confident heads into the Grade Two contest in rude health.
He said: “He’s in great form and we were always going for this race. Shishkin has turned up and we can’t choose our opposition, but we’ll give it a good go.
“We’re very happy with our horse and there are no negatives.”
Protektorat only ran three times last season, with a brilliant victory in the Betfair Chase followed by a fourth-placed finish in the Cotswold Chase and fifth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
The nine-year-old disappointed when defending his Betfair Chase crown at Haydock in November, but bounced back when finishing third under a big weight at Cheltenham the following month before chasing home leading Gold Cup contender L’Homme Presse in the Fleur De Lys Chase at Lingfield three weeks ago.
With his charge having been beaten in the last two renewals of the blue riband at Cheltenham, Skelton is happy to campaign him a little more aggressively this term, adding: “He seems in great form and why not run him?
“You can sometimes get to the end of a horse’s career and wish you’d ran them a bit more, so we’re happy to give it a go.”
Henderson is similarly pleased with Shishkin’s preparation, as the former star two-miler looks to establish himself as a genuine Gold Cup contender.
“Nico rode him out on Saturday morning and schooled him Wednesday morning. He jumped five fences and there was no point in him jumping any more,” said the Seven Barrows handler.
“I do think he is in good form and he was very sharp Wednesday morning. Nico said he felt in terrific form and we’re happy on that score.
“He’s pretty versatile in terms of ground, I don’t think you would want him in very, very soft ground, but we don’t have much option. He has to go here, as there is nowhere else to go and he needs a race.”
Whether Shishkin would have held off the fast-finishing Hewick had he completed the King George course is open to question, but Henderson said: “I think he would have won. Whatever the result, it was a very good run for what was effectively his first run of the season.
“Nico, from what he told me, felt he would have won. Obviously, he didn’t see the unfolding of the race after the last like we did and the Irish horse (Hewick) came home with a right rattle down the outside.
“He should come on for that and he needs to have another run if he is to run in the Gold Cup, which we are hoping to do.
“It’s the ideal race, as Newbury is a lovely track and it’s nice and local for us.
“With Protektorat running, he will probably be guaranteed a good gallop and it will be handy just to get a lead, I suppose. He’s very happy leading and Nico was very happy to send him on in the King George, as he felt the race needed keeping honest – so he would be very happy if he did end up in front.”
Shishkin will line up with form figures of R and U, having refused to start on his seasonal reappearance at Ascot prior to his fine effort before coming to grief at Kempton on Boxing Day.
While not counting his chickens, Henderson is hopeful there will be no pre-race antics on Saturday.
He added: “He can be a character and the odd thing about him is at the beginning of the season, I suppose when he’s very fresh in that build-up period, he can be a bit of a plonker.
“When he’s stroppy, he’s stroppy, but he only really does it at the beginning and now where we are with a race under his belt, he’s no problem at all.
“I won’t say I don’t see any problems, as you always have it in the back of your mind, but he was very good at Kempton on what would be quite a tricky start for him, going away from the stables and paddock.”
Paul Nicholls has saddled a record 10 previous winners of the race, with his Gold Cup heroes See More Business (2000), Kauto Star (2007) and Denman (2008) among those on the roll of honour.
This time around, the Ditcheat maestro saddles last year’s runner-up Hitman, who has finished tailed off in each of his two starts so far this term.
“He needed the run at Cheltenham last month after his latest wind op and has come on nicely for the outing,” Nicholls told Betfair.
“I’m hopeful he can pick up some place money before another crack at the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.”
Kim Bailey’s Does He Know and the Anthony Honeyball-trained Sam Brown are the other hopefuls.
Kenny Logan is adamant Scotland should go into Saturday’s showdown with under-pressure France in bullish mood because they have proved on several occasions they can unsettle Les Bleus on home soil.
The Scots have won five of the last seven meetings between the teams at Murrayfield – and three of the last four Edinburgh clashes in the Six Nations.
Logan, who won 70 caps for Scotland, feels the Scots are perfectly capable of inflicting another defeat on the French, who lost 38-17 at home to Ireland in their Guinness Six Nations opener last Friday.
“Scotland have definitely got a chance of getting a result, all day long,” Logan – speaking to promote Prostate Cancer UK’s Big Golf Race – told the PA news agency.
“They’re at home, the French are under pressure, Scotland have got a game that can take the French on, they beat them in August – albeit in a World Cup warm-up – and they’ve beaten them several times in the last few years, so why would they not be confident?
“Scotland are a strong team so we should be looking at it thinking ‘we’re going to win this match’. They’ve got to have that confidence.”
Logan, 51, played for Scotland in an era when victories over France were rare but he feels Gregor Townsend’s side will benefit from memories of recent successes against this weekend’s opponents.
“It helps mentally when you’ve beaten a team because you get a lot of confidence from that,” he said.
“When they go into the game, they can say ‘right, we’ve beaten them three of the last four times we’ve played them here in the Six Nations’, and they also know they’ve played against their players in Europe and have played against France three times in the last year, so they shouldn’t be scared of them.
“We’re a team who can beat anybody on our day. Anybody.”
Scotland defeated Wales 27-26 in their opener in Cardiff last weekend – but only after almost squandering a 27-0 lead. Logan feels their second-half collapse will help focus minds for the French.
“After last week, when it felt like a defeat and they probably felt like they let themselves down, the team will have been more on edge this week in terms of knowing they’ve got to work hard to get the focus right,” he said.
“I think they just got a little bit carried away last week and their heads went a little bit but overall they will have learned a lot more than if they won by 30 points.
“That game will let them know they’ve got to play for 80 minutes, and keep their focus, which they will have to do against France.”
Kenny Logan was speaking to promote Prostate Cancer UK’s Big Golf Race, which launches on 28 February.
Scotland welcome France to Murrayfield in round two of the Guinness Six Nations on Saturday.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some key talking points ahead of the Edinburgh showdown.
Chance for Scots to build momentum
Scotland opened a Six Nations with back-to-back wins for the first time last year, and they now have the chance to achieve the feat for a second campaign in succession following last weekend’s narrow 27-26 victory in Wales. Last year, after defeating Wales and England in the first two rounds, they came unstuck across a formidable double-header away to France and at home to Ireland. This time, their fixtures on match-day three and four look notably less daunting, with England at home followed by Italy away. If they can get the better of Les Bleus on Saturday, Scotland are entitled to fancy their chances of contending for the title.
Can wounded, Dupont-less French summon a response?
After the deflation of their World Cup quarter-final exit on home soil, France failed to get the positive Six Nations starter they were after when they were destroyed 38-17 at home to Ireland last weekend. In mitigation, they played more than half the match in Marseille with 14 men, but the French arrive in Edinburgh with their backs firmly against the wall and in need of a response. They will have to find a way to conjure it without their influential half-back pairing of Antoine Dupont (who has switched to sevens) and Romain Ntamack (injured).
Murrayfield not a happy French hunting ground
If France had their way, they would probably choose to head somewhere other than Edinburgh to try to get back on track. Les Bleus have lost five of their last seven matches at Murrayfield, including their last visit for a World Cup warm-up match in August, when they squandered a 21-3 half-time lead to lose 25-21 to the 14-man Scots. Scotland have won three of the last four Six Nations meetings with the French on their own patch.
Darge leads all Glasgow back-row
Scotland have made three personnel changes from the side that won in Wales, with two of them in the back-row, where they are deemed to have a wealth of options. Last weekend it was Edinburgh flankers Luke Crosbie and Jamie Ritchie who started alongside Glasgow’s Matt Fagerson. This weekend, Gregor Townsend has opted for the “cohesion” of an all-Glasgow back-row, with recently-appointed Rory Darge fit enough to start his first match in six weeks alongside Fagerson, who shifts to blindside, and Jack Dempsey, who is restored at number eight. Ritchie – who captained the team at the World Cup, drops out of the 23 entirely, with the more versatile Andy Christie preferred on the bench.
Another huge test for Kyle Rowe
At this time last year, when the iconic Stuart Hogg was still wearing the number 15 jersey, Kyle Rowe – battling back from an ACL injury and with just one substitute outing for the national team to his name – would have struggled to envisage himself as Scotland’s starting full-back in the Six Nations. Hogg’s retirement plus injuries to Blair Kinghorn and Ollie Smith have paved the way for him to do just that, however. The 25-year-old Glasgow back – who predominantly operates as a wing – handled his first start superbly in Wales last weekend, and he will be hoping for a repeat performance on Saturday against the highest-calibre opposition he will have faced in his career.
Willie Mullins goes in search of further riches at Newbury on Saturday as he unleashes fascinating French recruit Ocastle Des Mottes in the Betfair Hurdle.
Ireland’s perennial champion trainer obliterated the opposition at last weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival, enjoying a clean sweep in the eight Grade Ones and nine winners from 15 races overall.
A week on, he goes in search of a first victory in Britain’s most valuable handicap hurdle with a horse who has yet to run this side of the Channel, but has won twice over obstacles in his homeland.
Carrying the colours of prominent owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede for the first time, it is no surprise bookmakers are taking no chances and have priced Ocastle Des Mottes as clear favourite, but connections are not getting carried away.
“Basically, he’s a horse that’s been bought for steeplechasing next year, so if we were going to run him this spring, we were going to run him in a valuable handicap hurdle,” said the owners’ racing manager Anthony Bromley.
“He’s lower rated in England than in Ireland, so that’s why he’s coming to England and it will give him some experience of big fields and the tempo of British racing.
“Two miles might be a bit short for him, he does want soft ground. I wouldn’t know if he should be favourite, but I find that the French horses that have their first run in an English, big-field handicap, they can get a shock from the tempo of the race.
“The race will tell us a lot more about the horse. We like the horse, but he’s next year’s project and we want to learn a little bit more about what trip he needs moving forwards.
“As he’s lower rated here, we thought we’d start him off in an English race and it’s obviously the richest handicap hurdle in the UK, so why not have a dart at it – and a good one.”
Mullins will also be represented by outsider Alvaniy, ridden by Bryony Frost, and the enigmatic Onlyamatteroftime, who was called up as first reserve following the withdrawal of Ben Pauling’s Tellherthename.
Harry Cobden had been set to partner Tellherthename but now switches to Ito Ditto, twice a winner at Chepstow this term.
Nicky Henderson has won the Betfair Hurdle on five occasions, with dual winner Geos (2000 and 2004) joined on the roll of honour by Sharpical (1998), Landing Light (2001) and My Tent Or Yours (2013).
This year, the Seven Barrows handler fires a four-pronged assault, with top-weight Luccia accompanied by Iberico Lord, Under Control and Doddiethegreat.
“The ground is going to be important and I’m never sure about Luccia. She won a bumper at Sandown in desperate ground very impressively and we all got the impression that was how she wanted it, but I’m not so sure she does. I think better ground helps her,” said Henderson.
“I know Nico (de Boinville) feels Iberico Lord will like the soft ground and probably Doddiethegreat – they might be the soft ground boys.
“I cannot explain Iberico Lord’s run last time, his performance was shocking really. Nothing came to light and his work has been very good, so there is nothing you can do but go again.”
Of Under Control, he added: “She only ran a fortnight ago, but that doesn’t worry me, as at the backend of last season, we backed her up from a race at Cheltenham to Sandown in nine days and she was very impressive at Sandown.
“I don’t think she got a desperately hard race to be honest at Doncaster in the mares’ Grade Two. She was well beat by Willie Mullins’ mare, but then anyone can be beat by a Willie Mullins mare! I’m looking forward to her running.”
Neil King has high hopes for Lookaway, who has enjoyed a well-earned break since filling the runner-up spot behind Captain Teague in the Grade One Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury in late December.
King said “There’s no getting away from it, he had a hard race in the Challow; he battled and fought all the way to the line in testing conditions there.
“I thought at the time that he definitely wouldn’t want to go anywhere for a month after that, although in fairness to him, he did actually bounce out of the race quite nicely and was fresh and well the next week. But I’m sure he’ll benefit from waiting just that little bit longer.
“I’m confident the rain will help us as well, I’d have been far more worried if it had been a really drying time and got on the fast side of good, because then two miles might have been a bit sharp for him in that calibre of race.”
Brentford Hope has been one of Harry Derham’s star performers in the early stages of his training career and he now has the chance to provide the handler with his biggest victory to date.
A course-and-distance winner in November, he was third again over track and trip in the Gerry Feilden, with the testing conditions set to be a positive.
“He likes Newbury and it is like a home game to him,” said Derham.
“I absolutely got drowned on my gallop all morning on Thursday and that will help. It’s obviously an exceptionally competitive race, but we’ve kept him back over Christmas with this race in mind.
“I don’t think he’s exceptionally well handicapped, but I think he can run well. We’ve put cheekpieces on him for the first time, just because some horses run above themselves first-time in cheekpieces and if you are going to run above yourself, you might as well do it in a Betfair Hurdle.
“The rain has come at the right time, he’s in good form, and we’re going to have a go.”
Harry Fry feels the rain-softened ground will bring the best out of Altobelli, who has gone close in a couple of similar races at Ascot already this term.
He said: “Conditions will certainly play to the strengths of Altobelli, who has run well in two competitive handicaps at Ascot, including the last day when the ground had dried up plenty for him.
“If you watch the replay back and see his action, it is really clear that he wants a good cut in the ground, so he’ll relish conditions on Saturday and we’re hoping he can transfer that good form at Ascot across to Newbury and be very competitive. We’re looking forward to it.”
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