Jack Nicklaus criticised Rory McIlroy for a lack of concentration as the 88th Masters belatedly got under way at Augusta National.

Overnight rain and the threat of thunderstorms saw the start of play pushed back from 8am to 1030am, with honorary starters Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson kicking off proceedings 20 minutes earlier by hitting tee shots on the first before retiring to the clubhouse.

The trio then gave a lengthy press conference before Nicklaus joined “Live from the Masters” on the Golf Channel and discussed why McIlroy had yet to win a green jacket to complete a career grand slam.

“I only have one criticism of Rory,” 18-time major winner Nicklaus said.

“You have to concentrate 100 per cent of the time. For some reason, Rory always has a little bit of a lapse somewhere around the tournament. He’ll find a double bogey or triple bogey that sneaks in there.

“I don’t know how he does it or why he does it, but it happens. And I wish that wouldn’t happen.”

During the earlier press conference Nicklaus said he believed McIlroy would win the Masters at some point, but pointed out that Watson and Arnold Palmer both missed out on a career grand slam after failing to win the US PGA.

“I mean, is Tom Watson good enough to win the Grand Slam? Absolutely,” Nicklaus said.

“Was Arnold Palmer good enough to win the Grand Slam? Absolutely. Is Rory McIlroy good enough to win the Grand Slam, absolutely, but they have got to do it, and they all know that.

“Do I think Rory will win here? Yeah. He could win this year. He could win next year. He’s just too talented not to. But then again, they (Watson and Palmer) were too talented not to win those, too. You just never know.”

McIlroy made a slow start to his 10th bid to complete the grand slam, covering his first six holes in one over par while playing partner and pre-tournament favourite Scottie Scheffler picked up two birdies on the same stretch.

Defending champion Jon Rahm was one under par after seven holes, with New Zealand’s Ryan Fox setting the early pace on five under thanks to birdies on the first three holes and an eagle on the par-five eighth.

The weather delay meant the first round would not be completed on schedule on Thursday, with the last group of Dustin Johnson, Collin Morikawa and Tommy Fleetwood not teeing off until 1630 local time.

Fernando Alonso will remain in Formula One beyond his 45th birthday after agreeing a new multi-season deal with Aston Martin.

Double world champion Alonso, who will be 43 in July, had been linked with Mercedes and Red Bull – as replacements for Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen respectively.

But Aston Martin announced on Thursday that Alonso, whose current deal had been due to expire at the end of the year, has agreed new terms to remain with them until at least the end of 2026.

Both Mercedes, searching for a replacement for the Ferrari-bound Hamilton, and Red Bull – with Verstappen said to be unsettled at the scandal-hit Red Bull team – had been tracking Alonso’s next move.

And Alonso admitted: “I did speak with other people. It is normal when you enter negotiations that you need to balance the market and listen to everybody else.

“I will not be specific as to which team I spoke with because this is not important. When teams are searching for a driver, they touch base with everyone just to know their position. They always want to know everything and for me it was the same.

“Maybe more time was needed (by them), while with Aston Martin there was a clear desire to work together so that is why it was very easy to stay. I felt the most wanted by them. All the other conversations were just light, and never came to any conclusions.

“I will not wait to see if there is something happening and I can jump in. I will dictate my destiny, whether that is for good or for bad.”

Alonso will this season become the first driver to take part in 400 grands prix, and his new deal is set to make him comfortably the oldest F1 driver of the modern era.

Michael Schumacher was 43 when he retired for a second time in 2012, while Kimi Raikkonen was a year younger when he walked away from the sport in 2021.

“I love driving too much that I cannot stop at the moment,” added Alonso. “I breathe Formula One, I live Formula One, and I train and eat to drive Formula One cars.

“The moment hasn’t arrived that I need to change my lifestyle. I will not be happy sitting at home and watching Formula One races because I still feel I should be there.

“If one day I feel I am not motivated, or I am not in good shape, or I am not fast and sharp, I will be the first one to raise my hand and we will find a solution with Aston Martin.

“But I don’t see that coming for the next few years. Japan (on Sunday) was one of my best races ever, and that happened five days ago. Lewis will also be 40 in January, so at least I will not be the only one next year who is over 40.”

Alonso took the last of his two world titles in 2006, and has not won a race in more than a decade.

But the former Ferrari and McLaren man is still considered as one of the brightest stars of the F1 field.

Last year, in his first season at Aston Martin, he helped to transform the British team from also-rans to frontrunners. He took eight podiums and finished fourth in the championship.

Although Aston Martin have not been able to maintain that form, there is hope that the next major regulation change in 2026, which will see them partner with Honda – the Japanese manufacturer that has powered Red Bull to its recent successes – will allow Alonso to compete at the sharp end of the grid once more.

Alonso continued: “We have achieved so many highs here in such a short space of time. It is probably unprecedented in Formula One.

“This is only the beginning of the journey, so it could not be the end for me and Aston Martin.”

From cherished American superstar to villain whose murder trial captivated a global audience, OJ Simpson’s fall from grace was startling.

Simpson, nicknamed ‘The Juice’, has died at the age of 76 after losing his battle with prostate cancer, leaving behind four children.

Before the low-speed car chase by police and ‘Trial of the Century’ that began the unravelling of his reputation, Simpson was a darling of American sport who had also carved out a successful acting career.

He was raised in a low income neighbourhood in San Francisco and joined a local gang but his athleticism offered a route out and he found his purpose in gridiron.

A prolific running back, he starred for USC and in 1968 won the Heisman Trophy awarded to the outstanding player in college football. Inevitably, he was first overall draught pick the following year.

Progress in his first couple of seasons at the Buffalo Bills was slow but his impact grew and he went on to become one of the most successful operators in his position, winning the NFL’s most valuable player in 1973 and being inducted into the hall of fame in 1985.

He became the game’s highest paid player and lucrative commercial deals also followed as companies looked to leverage his charisma and popularity, while his acting career included parts in blockbusters ‘Towering Inferno’ and ‘The Naked Gun’.

For all his film presence he was little known outside the United States but that changed for all the wrong reasons when he was arrested in 1994 for the murder of his former wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman.

Brown and Goldman had been found stabbed to death in LA and once police had filed charges, Simpson refused to turn himself in and was pursued in an extraordinary car chase that was at low speed because he had a gun pointed to his head.

The event was televised live to millions and projected his notoriety worldwide, with the broadcasting of his subsequent murder trial only intensifying interest in this fallen star.

He was acquitted the following year but a civil lawsuit found him liable for the deaths, resulting in an order to pay £26.7million pounds to the victims of the families. Only a fraction of that amount was actually paid.

Arrests followed for a variety of offences in the early 2000s and his lowest point eventually came in 2007 when he was charged with armed robbery and kidnapping.

He served nine of a 33-year jail sentence and upon his release he continued to live in Las Vegas, looking increasingly frail when in public but active on social media. Simpson always maintained his innocence of the murders.

The Atlanta Hawks' path to reaching the NBA play-offs has become much more difficult.

The Hawks will be without forward Jalen Johnson and centre Onyeka Okongwu for several weeks, meaning they'll miss next week's Play-In Tournament.

Johnson exited Tuesday's loss to the Miami Heat with a right ankle injury, and the Hawks announced Thursday that an MRI revealed a Grade 2 lateral sprain. He'll be re-evaluated in approximately three weeks.

Okongwu, who last played March 21 due to a left big toe sprain, underwent a non-surgical procedure on Tuesday to address inflammation. His recovery time is approximately four weeks.

Atlanta is guaranteed a spot in the Play-In Tournament, and entered play Thursday in 10th place in the Eastern Conference - 1 /2 games behind the Chicago Bulls. The two teams will meet in the Play-In Tournament, with the winner facing the loser of the game between the 7 and 8 seeds for a spot in the play-offs.

Both Johnson and Okongwu have played big parts for the Hawks this season.

Johnson started 52 of the 56 games he played in, averaging career highs of 16.0 points and 8.7 rebounds - the second highest on Atlanta behind Clint Capela's average of 10.6 boards.

Okongwu has appeared in 55 games, with averages of 10.2 points and 6.8 rebounds. In eight starts, he had averages of 16.1 points and 8.5 boards.

One bit of good news for the Hawks is Trae Young returned in Wednesday's 115-114 loss to the Charlotte Hornets after missing 23 games with a torn ligament in his left pinkie.

The three-time All-Star point guard made all five of his field-goal attempts, finishing with 14 points and 11 assists in 21 minutes in his first game since February 23.

Bryony Frost showcased her ability to produce a winner on the big day as she triumphed in the Close Brothers Red Rum Chase at Aintree aboard Sans Bruit.

The 5-1 chance had been partnered by Frost in one of his three previous British starts and came into the race having yet to get off the mark in this country, with his light weight prompting trainer Paul Nicholls to give Frost the ride rather than stable jockey Harry Cobden.

The opportunity was grabbed with both hands and the horse was settled quickly into an even rhythm, jumping fluently all the way and gaining ground at every fence.

Turning for home he was at the head of affairs and just continued to pull away, jumping the last in isolation and crossing the line four lengths ahead of 9-2 favourite Saint Roi.

“Every race on the big stage is always going to hit where you want it to – the adrenalin, the focus and the positive nerves before,” Frost said after the win.

“The instructions were that if he was really keen to go out in front, then do what you do. The start was a bit of a muddle, but luckily he stayed really relaxed for it and I was able to get into a good position.

“I found a rhythm, we got in some really lovely breathers and when someone came to my girths, he picked up again and I thought ‘if you’ve got that much petrol, let’s start rolling’.”

By her own admission Frost has been frustrated by a lack of chances this season, a situation that has led her to consider the possibility of riding in France.

She added: “The opportunities come when they come, you’re thankful when they do and you try to make it happen.

“There is frustration, of course there is, you’ve got so much to offer, but you can only work with the opportunities that you’re getting and be thankful for the ones you get, whether they’re coming quickly or months apart.

“I’m buzzing we’ve got a big win. The crowd and the fans here are phenomenal, you feel the support and I feel it on the daily at the tracks when I’m riding.

“Parts of the season have been pushing more uphill, but you can’t sit down and cry about it, you’ve just got to get on and make the most of it when it comes.

“We’re not riding this Saturday and there is frustration, of course there is. You’re in the game to win and you want to ride and be out there. There’s nothing you can do about it, just keep working hard.”

On a possible French switch, she added: “You get a girls’ allowance out there, which is a huge advantage for me. It would be silly not to take advantage of that.

“You give me the ammunition, I’ll make it happen.”

Cheltenham Festival runner-up Its On The Line (3-1 favourite) went one better when landing the Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase for Derek O’Connor.

The seven-year-old was kept out of trouble by O’Connor through the early stages before he delivered Emmet Mullins’ charge with a perfectly-timed challenge to score by four and a quarter lengths from the admirable Bennys King.

Mullins said: “He’s got ability and Derek is good and persistent on him and gets everything out of him. We were thankful for the loose horses today as it meant he had a bit of company and he was able to stretch out and go away, he’s done it well in the finish.

“He takes his races very well, last season he ran at Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown so he has a great constitution. I think he’ll stay hunter chasing as it’s great to be able to come to these meetings and have a horse with a big chance. Fingers crossed he keeps doing the business.”

O’Connor added: “They went a ferocious gallop and he was a little bit off the bridle, but one thing he does is jump and he was jumping well all the way.

“We got a little bit of stick after Cheltenham, he lacks that bit of class to travel in a race but he leaves it all on the line every day and puts it all in when it comes down to it.

“Emmet’s a genius and it’s a privilege to put on these (JP McManus) colours every day.”

The closing Goffs Nickel Coin Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race went the way of Ben Pauling’s Diva Luna (13-2), who made all the running under Kielan Woods.

“That was a great ride, she was good wasn’t she? She’s a nice horse,” said Pauling.

“He kept it very simple, we knew at Market Rasen that she had gears so the plan was to dictate and kick as late as we could. I think he knew he had plenty left.

“She won’t run again this season and she’ll go hurdling next season, she’s got a lot of class.”

Owners Andrew and Jane Megson have removed their horses from Ben Pauling’s yard as part of a thinning out process they hope will rekindle their enjoyment in racehorse ownership.

The Megsons enjoyed some great days alongside Pauling, with Global Citizen winning the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival in 2022 and their string growing in quality at a time the Naunton Downs handler has expanded his operation.

However, the husband-and-wife duo have come to the conclusion they need to “freshen things up”, with their string set to be split between a few select trainers as they seek to recapture the joy of ownership.

“The real driver is about making sure we enjoy it because it is a hobby and we don’t want it to be a grind,” explained Andrew Megson.

“So we decided to thin out and while we did that we took the opportunity to make a few changes. We know Jonjo (O’Neill), we know Fergal (O’Brien) and we thought we’d just have a change and freshen things up.

“We still have a business and we’ve built up a number of horses almost by accident. Our thinking was we have too many horses and can’t go and watch them – watching a horse midweek on my phone in the corner of my office is not the most enjoyable and my wife Jane doesn’t really want to be going racing on her own.”

He went on: “Accidently we’ve become quite big owners and we don’t really want to be the biggest owner in anybody’s yard. It’s not what we set out to do and Jane is very keen that when we do buy horses in the future, we spread them out a bit.

“Ben is doing really well and his yard is doing fantastic. He’s got some lovely horses and he’s grown exponentially and we wish him all the best.

“It’s all amicable with Ben and there’s been no falling out, in fact he sent me a lovely message. Ben is a great guy and I’m sure he will have a brilliant Aintree.”

Pauling, who won the closing bumper on the first day of the Grand National meeting, said he had “no inkling” of the move coming and was taken by surprise.

He said: “Everyone has their reasons for what they do and the Megsons have been huge supporters of mine for many years and I will always thank them for that. But, for whatever reason they have chosen to move them.

“I don’t know what they are but I wish them the best of luck. I had no inkling at all, genuinely.”

Part of the family’s plans to reignite their enthusiasm is to switch this season’s star novice hurdler Tellherthename to the Flat and he will join Ed Dunlop in Newmarket with staying aspirations this summer before a potential move to O’Neill to continue his National Hunt career.

He added: “We think Tellherthename is a rocket and this year (over hurdles) the ground has gone against him. We want to try him on the Flat in staying races as he’s not been over raced this year by any stretch of the imagination and on decent ground, we hope he could be quite smart.

“He’s gone to Ed Dunlop who is going to say if he is interesting for the Flat or if we should keep him over hurdles or fences.

“It’ll probably never happen, but you see what Alan King did with Trueshan and you think let’s dream about that and you have to dream when you own racehorses.”

As well as O’Neill, O’Brien and Dan Skelton will joining their small band of trainers, with some of the Megson’s current string of horses soon to be sold.

Megson said: “We are sending six or seven to the sales. We had 20-plus horses but now we will have five with Ed Dunlop on the Flat if you include Tellherthename, five with Jonjo O’Neill and potentially Tellherthename if he goes back jumping, five to Fergal O’Brien and we’ve decided to put Harper’s Brook and Storminhome with Dan Skelton.

“They were going to go to the sales, but what would be deeply disappointing would be if Harper’s Brook stopped being quirky and bolted up in a big race after we had sold him.”

Emma Raducanu will take on Caroline Garcia on Friday in her first match for Great Britain in two years.

The former US Open champion is available to Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup captain Anne Keothavong for the tie against France for the first time since making her debut in April 2022.

On that occasion, Raducanu won her first senior match on clay against Tereza Martincova of the Czech Republic before losing heavily to Marketa Vondrousova in a tie Britain ultimately lost 3-2.

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They are back on clay just across the Channel in Le Portel on Friday and Saturday, and Keothavong is likely to need Raducanu to win at least one match if Britain are to spring a surprise and reach the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in November.

Having pulled out of the Miami Open last month with a minor back issue, Raducanu will play her first match since an encouraging showing in Indian Wells ended in a competitive third-round loss to Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka.

She has met world number 23 Garcia twice before, beating her in Indian Wells in 2022 then losing at Wimbledon in the same year, but this will be their first match on clay.

Raducanu has played only one match on the surface in nearly two years, and she told reporters in France: “I’ve not spent so much time on clay over the past few years.

“It was interesting at the beginning but I think I learned pretty quickly. I’m starting to feel a lot better on the surface. I think in the future it’s going to be a surface that actually suits me. I’m maybe a little bit away from that right now but I’m enjoying it and I’m enjoying the challenge.

“I think it’s great that we can be in this position playing the French, who are so dominant. Coming on clay I definitely think we’re the underdogs but we have a lot of game and we’re ready to play this weekend.”

The British number one is Katie Boulter, who has surged into the top 30 this year having been ranked well outside the top 100 12 months ago when Britain lost to the same opponents on hard courts in Coventry.

She will take on up-and-coming 21-year-old Diane Parry in the opening match on Friday in what will be just Boulter’s third match on clay since April 2021.

The reverse singles will take place on Saturday and, if necessary, the tie will conclude with a deciding doubles, for which Keothavong has selected Harriet Dart and Heather Watson, although changes can be made.

The GB captain was keen to play up Britain’s status as underdogs, saying: “We’re here on French turf. The French have the home support, they have the experience in this team, they’ve had a lot of success in this competition.

“But I’m confident and I back my players. It’s a great opportunity. We’ve prepared as well as we could have and I’m looking forward to the matches tomorrow.”

Elsewhere in the qualifiers, Naomi Osaka is playing in the competition for the first time since 2020 in Japan’s tie with Kazakhstan while world number one Iga Swiatek leads Poland against Switzerland.

Fernando Alonso will remain with Aston Martin beyond this season after signing a new ‘multi-year’ deal with the British-based Formula One team.

Double world champion Alonso, who will be 43 in July, had been linked with Mercedes and Red Bull – as possible replacements for Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen respectively.

But Aston Martin announced on Thursday that Alonso, whose current deal had been due to expire at the end of the year, has agreed a contract extension.

“I am here to stay,” said Alonso via an Aston Martin press release. The team did not mention the length of the new deal.

Team principal Mike Krack said: “Securing Fernando’s long-term future with Aston Martin is fantastic news.

“We have built a strong working relationship over the last 18 months and we share the same determination to see this project succeed.

“We have been in constant dialogue over the last few months and Fernando has been true to his word: when he decided he wanted to continue racing, he talked to us first. Fernando has shown he believes in us, and we believe in him.

“Fernando is hungry for success, driving better than ever, is fitter than ever, and is completely dedicated to making Aston Martin a competitive force.

“This multi-year agreement with Fernando takes us into 2026 when we begin our works power unit partnership with Honda. We look forward to creating more incredible memories and achieving further success together.”

Alonso, who has won 32 races, will this season become the first driver to take part in 400 grands prix, and his latest deal will take him beyond his 45th birthday.

Both Mercedes, searching for a replacement for the Ferrari-bound Hamilton, and Red Bull – with Verstappen said to be unsettled at the scandal-hit Red Bull team – had been tracking Alonso’s next move.

But the Spaniard will enter into at least a third season with Aston Martin, with ambitious owner Lawrence Stroll determined to turn the Silverstone-based team into championship contenders.

Alonso took the last of his two world titles in 2006, and has not won a race in more than a decade.

But he is still considered as one of the stars of the F1 field, and last year helped to transform Aston Martin from also-rans to frontrunners. He took eight podiums and finished fourth in the championship.

After the opening four rounds of the new campaign, Alonso is eighth in the standings.

Kim Bailey believes now is the time for Chianti Classico to dip his toe into Grade One waters in the Huyton Asphalt Franny Blennerhassett Memorial Mildmay Novices’ Chase.

Always highly regarded by Bailey, the seven-year-old really came of age at Cheltenham last month, winning the ultra-competitive Ultima by four and a half lengths.

That was his third win of the season, with his only reverse coming when second to Flegmatik at Kempton.

With the handicapper putting him up 11lb, the Andoversford handler saw little point in running in a handicap with top weight and instead he takes on fellow Festival winner Inothewayyurthinkin.

“It was a really good performance at Cheltenham and the handicapper was obviously very impressed as well as he put him up 11lb,” said Bailey.

“We’re lucky that we know he’ll go the very soft ground as it was heavy going at Cheltenham.

“He’s definitely worth a crack at a Grade One now, the only alternative was to run in a handicap this week, but that 11lb rise meant he would have had top weight and if he’d done that and run well or even won, you’d have just been thinking why you weren’t in the Grade One.

“He’s been to Aintree before, we ran him in the bumper at this meeting a couple of years ago so he’s got that experience.”

Inothewayurthinkin and Iroko are both owned by JP McManus but have taken very different routes.

Gavin Cromwell’s Inothewayurthinkin arrives of the back of a very easy win off top weight in the Kim Muir and certainly looks worth stepping back up in grade having run well behind Arkle winner Gaelic Warrior at Limerick in December.

“Inothewayurthinkin came out of Cheltenham very well and did it very nicely on the day. Gavin is very happy with him, we’ll know more about where we stand after the race on Friday but he’s in good form,” said McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry.

Iroko, who won the Martin Pipe over hurdles at Cheltenham last March, made a very impressive chasing debut at Warwick in November.

He picked up an injury there and was initially ruled out for the rest of the season but arrived back at the yard of joint-trainers Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero quicker than expected and finished a respectable fifth to Grey Dawning in the Turners.

“Iroko’s preparation for Cheltenham was a bit quick after the hold-up. He ran quite well there and the boys are hoping he’s come forward from that run and we’re hoping for a nice run,” said Berry.

Nigel Twiston-Davies fields Broadway Boy, who was denied a run at Cheltenham due to a minor setback. He wears cheekpieces for the first time.

The Lucinda Russell-trained Giovinco, an excellent third to Fact To File in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, and Henry de Bromhead’s Heart Wood, impressive when landing a competitive handicap at the Dublin Racing Festival, add further intrigue.

“He was very good in the Leopardstown Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival. He’s very lightly raced and I think that he’s progressive,” Heart Wood’s rider Rachael Blackmore told Betfair.

“He’s obviously taking a big step up here, from a handicap chase into a Grade One, but we’re really happy with him at home. I hope that he can stay the trip, and I’m hoping that he can take the step up in class.”

Dan Skelton’s Ryanair hero Protektorat has the My Pension Expert Melling Chase in his sights at Aintree.

The nine-year-old comes into the meeting off the back of a triumphant Cheltenham Festival, where he was the winner of the Ryanair Chase by a convincing four lengths.

There was subsequently some talk of him stepping back up in distance in Liverpool but, as the ground is set to be testing, connections have decided to stick at the two-and-a-half-mile trip over which he won the Manifesto Novices’ Chase on Merseyside in 2021.

Skelton said: “We decided we’d stick to two and a half on this ground. I think if the ground was really decent, we’d have made a different decision but when the ground is like this, the decision is almost made for you.

“We’ll go and give it a whirl and I’m very happy with him at home – he flew up the hill on Tuesday morning.

“For some reason, he’s taking his racing better than he ever has, I don’t know whether that’s age, strength or a combination, but he’s in good form.”

Paul Nicholls has Pic D’Orhy in the race, last year’s winner and a horse enjoying a good season so far, having won twice in three runs.

He took both the 1965 Chase and the Ascot Chase either side of finishing second in the Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton in January behind Joseph O’Brien’s Banbridge.

“I’ve always believed in this horse and am very proud of what he has achieved over the last two seasons,” the trainer told Betfair.

“With a better jump at the last fence, it would have been even closer between him and Banbridge in the Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton and he was giving 3lb to the narrow winner.

“That was a career best by Pic D’Orhy, who is in top form at home and beat two smart horses at Ascot last time.

“There are some classy types in opposition again in this Grade One but he is classy, too, and I’ve kept him for this race, which he won 12 months ago. He worked impressively on Saturday.”

Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon missed his Cheltenham engagement as the stable was in ill health but he returns to action for this race for a step up in trip, having been a two-miler to date.

His most recent run came in the rerouted Clarence House Chase, held at Cheltenham as the Ascot meeting was abandoned due to frost, where he finished second to an outsider in Joe Tizzard’s Elixir De Nutz.

“The Clarence House was disappointing, he never got into a rhythm on the day to be fair. He hadn’t settled into it as one would have liked and he got untidy,” Henderson told Unibet.

“Having said that, you felt he was still a little bit unlucky not to win really, but it would have been a messy performance.

“I’m looking forward to running him over two and a half (miles) for the first time because I think that really will suit him.

“He’s a horse that wants to be going forwards, and then he can really enjoy himself. He’s been in very good form and Nico (de Boinville) has been schooling him every other day and he loves it.

“I’m hopeful, everybody is happy with him. He might be better on good ground but he’s won on soft and heavy and when he’s right, I think he’s very good. I think he’s a horse the others have to beat.

“If he gets this far, how far will he get? He could just be like Shishkin. He’s proving himself at two miles but why switch, but he jumped from two to three miles in one season?”

Elsewhere in the race is Envoi Allen, Henry de Bromhead’s 2023 Ryanair Chase winner who finished second in the contest this year.

Gordon Elliott will saddle Conflated, a Gigginstown House Stud-owned 10-year-old who took the third-place spot in the Ryanair and has been chosen for this contest over the Grand National.

Willie Mullins has a single runner in Easy Game, whereas Donald McCain runs last season’s Melling third in Minella Drama.

Former champion Danny Willett enjoyed a superb start when the 88th Masters belatedly got under way on Thursday.

Making his first start since undergoing shoulder surgery in September, Willett recorded the first birdie of the week on the opening hole and added another from close range on the third.

That took the 36-year-old from Sheffield to the top of the early leaderboard on two under par, a shot ahead of a four-strong group which included Bryson DeChambeau and Erik van Rooyen.

Van Rooyen had been due to hit the opening tee shot at 8am local time (1300BST) but rain was already falling when tournament officials announced at 5am that play would not get under way on time.

Play was initially delayed by at least an hour and, although most of the worst thunderstorms looked to have skirted the area, it was subsequently announced that play would start at 1030 local time (1530GMT).

Honorary starters Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson kicked off proceedings 20 minutes earlier by each hitting a tee shot on the first hole before retiring to the clubhouse.

The delay meant the first round would not be completed on schedule, with the last group of Dustin Johnson, Collin Morikawa and Tommy Fleetwood not teeing off until 1630 local time.

Fleetwood, who had been drawn in the final group in round one for the second successive year, had taken on weather monitoring duties in the absence of long-time caddie Ian Finnis, who is recovering from illness back in England.

“I generally wake up and take the weather for what it is, just go out and play with the conditions we get, but I’ve heard the forecast is pretty bad,” Fleetwood said.

“The conditions are going to play a part in how the golf course plays and what happens there, so we’ll see.”

Pre-tournament favourite Scottie Scheffler will partner Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele in the first two rounds, with the star trio now due to tee off at 1312 local time (1812BST).

Defending champion Jon Rahm gets his attempt to join Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo in winning back-to-back Masters titles under way in the preceding group alongside Matt Fitzpatrick and Nick Dunlap.

Impaire Et Passe had to survive a lengthy stewards’ inquiry before being declared the winner of the William Hill Aintree Hurdle.

Willie Mullins’ evens favourite rounded the final bend on the bridle but did not run straight to the line as both Langer Dan and Bob Olinger threw down their challenges in what was a thrilling finish to the Grade One contest.

Impaire Et Passe appeared to cross Langer Dan’s path after the last, while Bob Olinger also seemed to drift inwards on the run to the line, leaving Langer Dan sandwiched between them.

The judge was required to split the trio as they crossed the line, with Impaire Et Passe coming home a nose in front of Bob Olinger, with Langer Dan a further short head back in third,

A stewards’ inquiry was soon called, but Impaire Et Passe was eventually confirmed the victor.

Jeremy Scott’s Cheltenham Festival heroine Golden Ace tests her powers against the boys in the Trustatrader Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on Friday.

The Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle was billed as one of the races of the week in the Cotswolds last month, with much of the pre-race talk focusing on the unbeaten Irish pair of Gordon Elliott’s Brighterdaysahead and the Willie Mullins-trained Jade De Grugy.

However, Golden Ace upset the apple cart, making it three from three over timber with a clear-cut success, although Scott acknowledges his stable star has more on her plate on Merseyside.

“She’s come out of Cheltenham really well, I think we’ve had a decent enough prep,” he said.

“On paper, she looks up against it and I suppose we’ll find out how much she’s up against it on Friday.

“I’m very happy with her, which is all we can ask really, and beyond that we’ll just have to see what happens. I think she ticks a lot of boxes.”

Dysart Enos, who beat Golden Ace in the Grade Two mares’ bumper at this fixture 12 months ago, is six from six for Fergal O’Brien, but missed Cheltenham following an 11th-hour setback.

The Ravenswell Farm handler is pleased the six-year-old has recovered in time for Aintree, but warned her participation is not absolutely guaranteed, with underfoot conditions a concern.

“Dysart Enos is in good form but we’ll have to have a look at the ground, we’ve declared her hoping that it won’t rain more,” said O’Brien.

“Heavy isn’t ideal for her but we’ll have a look and see how we get on.

“I would rather not run on heavy, so we’ll have to just see, we can’t do anything about the rain.

“Control the controllable, as we’re so often told, and that’s what we’ll do, we’ve declared and we’re giving ourselves the best chance.”

Elliott’s Firefox was last seen finishing third in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival, a run the trainer thinks he can build on at Aintree.

“I thought he ran great to finish third in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle,” he told At The Races.

“To be honest, I probably gave Jack (Kennedy) instructions that were too negative. It was the first race of the week and maybe we didn’t have enough confidence to be bold with our tactics.

“He finished off really well up the run-in and if I’d given Jack more encouragement to be more positive on him, I’d say he would have gone a fair bit closer. We won’t mess about this time, and I can see him running very well.”

Willie Mullins has a pair of runners entered for the race in Mystical Power and Mistergif.

Mystical Power is a son of the great Annie Power and came close to emulating his Grade One-winning dam when filling the runner-up spot behind Slade Steel in the Supreme.

He now aims again to take a top-flight title at Aintree and will be joined by stablemate Mistergif, who runs in the double green silks of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede and was fifth in the Festival opener.

“He ran a blinder, jumped well and settled really well,” Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father, told the Sporting Life of Mystical Power.

“If he can do the same again in Aintree that would be fantastic, that was only his third run over hurdles, so he has a little room to improve.

“He’s a Galileo, so perhaps really soft ground might come against him, but it was soft in Cheltenham and he handled it really well.

“He sets the standard, Firefox didn’t get a clear run, so he might have finished a bit closer.

“I take Dysart Enos very seriously, her run in the mares’ bumper last year was phenomenal, but I’m a big Mistergif fan and I think he just didn’t get up the hill at Cheltenham.

“After the last hurdle, he was bang there and this is a faster, flatter track with more emphasis on jumping – that’s his strong point. I think he’s overpriced and I wouldn’t overlook him.”

The field is completed by a trio of British-trained horses in Sam Thomas’ Lump Sum, Neil King’s Lookaway and Ben Pauling’s Personal Ambition.