The Coral Scottish Grand National meeting at Ayr this week could prove highly significant in the engrossing battle for the British trainers’ championship – with Willie Mullins’ Macdermott shortening significantly in price for the big race with the sponsors.

Mullins had a hugely successful Cheltenham Festival and was frequently in the money at Aintree too, not least when taking the Randox Grand National with I Am Maximum to add £500,000 to the pot of prize-money he has won in Britain this season.

That sum puts him ahead of Dan Skelton and Paul Nicholls and there is more money on offer still at the Ayr fixture coming up on Friday and Saturday, as Mullins seeks to emulate the great Vincent O’Brien, who won the British and Irish titles in successive years in the 1950s.

Coral have made Macdermott the 6-1 favourite for the Scottish National – which has a first prize of £112,540 – and Mullins the 1-2 favourite for the trainers’ title. In addition to the National, the Scottish Champion Hurdle is worth £56,270 to the winner.

“After the success of I Am Maximus in the Aintree showpiece on Saturday, punters are now backing Willie Mullins to make it a Grand National double with victory at Ayr and Macdermott is a significant market mover for the race, his odds tumbling from 10-1 to 6-1 clear favouritism, while the man himself is now 1-2 to land a first British trainers’ title,” said Coral’s David Stevens.

Officials at Ayr are understandably looking forward to the added interest in their big meeting after events at Aintree.

Clerk of the course Graeme Anderson said: “It’s pretty much all or nothing now for the title, Willie Mullins seems to be in control.

“We’re hoping he’ll be coming to Ayr, it really adds to the racing and definitely adds to the occasion, we’re really looking forward to it.

“We’ll see what tomorrow brings when the entries come in, but we hope they’re all in there and he’s pushing to get that title.

“Paul Nicholls has always been a big supporter of this meeting and then obviously with the win on Saturday, Willie Mullins has come on the scene. He hasn’t had a lot of runners at Ayr in the past so it’ll be good to see a good few of his.”

It was Henrietta Knight who first identified I Am Maximus’ star quality and she is now backing the Randox Grand National hero to go on and win a Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The Gold Cup-winning trainer was in her role as racing manager to the late Michael Grech when she first laid eyes on I Am Maximus as a yearling and it was a clear case of love at first sight for Knight, who relished every moment of the Willie Mullins-trained eight-year-old’s Aintree triumph.

The 77-year-old now feels course winner I Am Maximus has all the capabilities to emulate her own Best Mate and capture the blue riband at the Cheltenham Festival.

Knight said: “I think he could win a Gold Cup. I’m not sure how Willie will cope with all his horses for the Gold Cup and which one he would consider the best, but he is a real stayer, Maximus, and he likes Cheltenham – he loves the hill.

“I really enjoyed watching the National and after he jumped the first two fences I said ‘he’s loving it, he’s got the hang of it and loves these fences’.

“We were just watching him creeping and creeping and he made that one mistake at The Chair, where he rather caught Paul (Townend, jockey) by surprise and he had to call a cab, but then Paul was very good as he didn’t rush him.

“He just let him get his confidence again and on he went on the second circuit, I thought it was fantastic to watch.”

I Am Maximus spent his first few summers with Knight at her West Lockinge Farm in Wantage and after the early stages of his racing career were overseen by Nicky Henderson, he switched to Mullins, who Knight credits with helping the burgeoning talent fulfil his destiny of winning Grand Nationals.

“I had the horse here a lot for two summers and parts of winter as well and he won a bumper and a novice hurdle for Nicky Henderson,” continued Knight.

“Mike wanted to move all his horses to Ireland and it was my idea to move him to Willie’s. I doubt anyone else would have won a National with him and he has trained him so well.”

She added: “I felt sorry for Jody McGarvey not riding him because he has done a good job on him this year, but that is how it goes in racing and you have to have your stable jockey on your top horse. Paul’s riding fantastic and I would want him on board.”

The son of Authorized is the latest champion off the Tom Costello production line that had been the source of Knight’s very own great, Best Mate.

The Costellos have been Knight’s go-to family when searching for high-quality new stock and I Am Maximus was an instant hit with not just Knight herself, but the horse’s original owner, who sadly died before his former charge reached his peak.

“I picked him out as a yearling and then I went back and bought him for Mike Grech as a three-year-old from the Costellos, from whom I bought Best Mate. He came from a fantastic place and all my best horses have come from them, not just Best Mate, but Calgary Bay, Racing Demon and Somersby as well.

“They produce good horses and they bought him from France as a yearling. I always loved him.

“Mike adored the horse and he was named after his wife Maxine, it was his favourite horse. It was unfortunate he had to give up his racing interests and when that time came, Willie thought he was an ideal candidate for JP (McManus).”

Shifting to the left at his fences has always been a trademark of I Am Maximus’ chasing career, while he has always been regarded as a touch ‘quirky’ by those who have dealt with him on the racecourse.

However, Knight – a known master on the schooling grounds – has nothing but praise for his jumping ability and explains how he always had the hallmarks of an exceptional staying chaser in the making.

“Most of the best horses are a little quirky and he has a little bit of his own ideas,” she said.

“He’s very straightforward to train but he has his own ideas about jumping. He was always a very, very good jumper and a careful jumper, but he just likes to measure his jumps up by going left-handed.

“In the Olympics, you will see the high jumpers go off sideways to measure the jump and it is what I Am Maximus has always done. That’s his mark and how he likes to do it.”

She went on: “He was always destined to be a chaser and he was unbelievable when he was here as a youngster – we would jump him a lot. He doesn’t want to fall, he always wants to get it right and that means he sometimes takes some rather strange jumps that catch the jockeys by surprise.

“I have some fantastic pictures of Maximus jumping all kinds of poles and everything else here, he could showjump, he is that careful, and he has got the time to be careful over staying trips. He’s good at conserving his energy and he doesn’t waste any in a race.

“He’s a very good horse and he would have gone round again in the National!”

There were no fallers in this year’s Grand National, as 21 of the 32-strong field completed the marathon course.

That is the highest number of finishers since 2005 and with the first four home all previous Grade One winners, Knight concedes the race is a far different proposition to the test her late husband Terry Biddlecombe would have encountered as a jockey, but a change that is necessary to adapt with the times.

“The first four home were all class horses and it just shows that cream comes to the top in races like that now,” explained Knight.

“It’s no longer a race where you will get a huge outsider from the bottom of the weights crop up, I don’t think. They skipped round a lot of the horses yesterday, they all looked fresh and everything looked good.

“The only thing is I think on the second circuit there is hardly anything to jump at as they’ve kicked all the top off – I think you could canter round on your pony and jump those. They are not what they were, but that is what the sport is now and people want to see a race without accidents.

“It’s just adapting to the times and it’s not like the brave riders of old who hunted round sitting on the back of their saddles on a long rein, with pot luck and huge fences. It’s more of a professional race now.”

Jonbon could defend his Celebration Chase title or head to the Punchestown Festival before the season ends, after forming one half of a Grade One double for Nicky Henderson at Aintree’s Grand National Festival.

The JP McManus-owned eight-year-old was one of a number of big names from Seven Barrows to miss the Cheltenham Festival, with Henderson effectively shutting down operations as a poor run of form hit his Lambourn-based string.

However, he proved his class alongside hot juvenile prospect Sir Gino, as the Henderson team bounced back to form on Merseyside, their time in the doldrums proving short lived.

The Joe and Marie Donnelly-owned Sir Gino is finished for the season after claiming the Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle, but there could be further business for Jonbon to take care of, either at Sandown on the final day of the season or on a raiding mission to Ireland.

“Sir Gino, that will be him done, but there is every chance Jonbon could go again and we will have a look at the Celebration Chase or Punchestown,” said Henderson.

“If you wait for Punchestown, you get an extra four days, which might be a help, but I think both of mine, because they hadn’t been to Cheltenham, they probably had a bit of an advantage here.

“There is room to go again with Jonbon and we will see who is going where and what.

“He did it last year in his novice chase season – he went to Sandown for the Celebration and has done the double act before. He probably had an easier race in the novice chase last year than he did on Friday but it was just a very good race.”

It was Jonbon’s first attempt at two and a half miles when successful in the Melling Chase, but he will be dropping back to two miles if he is to be seen again this spring.

However, Henderson is envisaging a return to further after that possible assignment, with plenty to be discussed with owner McManus before the autumn.

“He would have to come back to two miles because there isn’t anything for him over further and then we will have to sit down and think,” he continued.

“I was saying before the race I was sure he would get the two and a half and wouldn’t be surprised if we were soon talking about three (miles).

“Nico (de Boinville) wasn’t that convinced about the three, but we will see and I haven’t discussed it with JP yet – he’s got plenty on his mind at present counting up all his Grade One winners.”

Jonbon is not the only Seven Barrows inmate in line for a trip to the Punchestown Festival, with Shishkin on course for a long-awaited clash with dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs in the Punchestown Gold Cup.

The 10-year-old could only finish fourth in defence of his Bowl title at Aintree, but Henderson feels the set-up of the Kildare track would suit his multiple Grade One winner much better than Liverpool.

“I would like Shishkin to go to Punchestown and I think he would be ready for it,” added Henderson.

“I think the track would suit him a little bit more than Aintree and he just didn’t look quite sharp enough round there.

“He couldn’t just get out of pockets and holes at the right moment. Tactically, it was a tough race and he just lacked that little bit of zip, so we might zip him up a little bit for Punchestown.”

The 2024 Randox Grand National has been hailed as a roaring success and there is no doubt Aintree officials will be keen to build on the favourable feedback received.

Here, we take a look at five things we learned from this year’s Liverpool spectacular:

Quality over quantity works

Reducing the number of declared runners from 40 to 34 caused quite a stir and when two more pulled out on the day of the race, a few eyebrows would have been raised. But there was no need to worry.

With 21 completing the course and a whole host of horses being firmly in contention entering the home stretch, there could be no suggestion of restricted numbers diluting the overall experience.

Sir Anthony McCoy said: “It was the most wonderful finish. I’ve never seen so many horses in with a chance of winning the Grand National so late in the race. What an incredible race – just a brilliant spectacle.”

The class of the major players also shone through, with the first four home all rated 155 or higher. I Am Maximus is now being talked of as a future Gold Cup contender, while 2021 blue riband hero Minella Indo was back in third.

Runner-up Delta Work has two Cheltenham cross-country wins on his CV and multiple Grade One victories, while fourth-placed Galvin struck at elite level in the Savills Chase a few years ago after previously claiming the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham.

Other recent victors such as Corach Rambler (third in this year’s Gold Cup), Noble Yeats and Tiger Roll highlight how much ability is now needed to challenge for top honours in the Grand National.

Trainer and owner limits are not required

The British Horseracing Authority toyed with the idea of restricting each trainer to a maximum of four runners in elite handicaps, but that was swiftly dismissed and in the end it was hardly noticed that Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott saddled 15 between them.

Some connections who missed out on a place in the starting line-up may cast a disapproving glance at Mullins having 125-1 outsider Janidil pulled up, as were Elliott’s Chemical Energy (50-1), Farouk d’Alene (100-1) and Minella Crooner (125-1).

But no one could say they were filling up slots to keep out more fancied entries, as illustrated by Elliott finishing second with 28-1 shot Delta Work and fourth with Galvin at 40-1.

Leading owner JP McManus was winning the race for the third time and I Am Maximus was one of five to carry his famous green and gold hoops, but no one could have been more thrilled to come out on top.

Flanked by his grandchildren, he told ITV Racing: “I love everything about the race. I love Liverpool, the excitement of coming here, the build-up to the National, it’s just a very, very special place. When you win, it’s a wonderful spectacle.”

Size doesn’t matter when it comes to National fences

Several obstacles are not the famously daunting propositions they once were and the first fence is now closer to the start. But few will be complaining after the race featured no official fallers and no serious injuries.

Of course, the National is now a far-less demanding test but no one misses the days when tired horses would get stuck halfway over mammoth fences, or the even-more gory sight of fallers rolling back into the ditch at Becher’s Brook.

Jockey Club chief executive Nevin Truesdale beamed: “We’re absolutely delighted, the changes have clearly had a very positive impact. I think it was probably the cleanest National I’ve ever seen.

“You’ve got to go back to 1992 to find more finishers, so we’re really pleased. I think the standing start seemed to work and I thought the jockeys were very sensible and it was a very well-ridden race, great credit to all involved. It was a really exciting finish, the National exactly as we want it.”

Clerk of the course Sulekha Varma added: “Everybody is coming up to me saying what a good race to watch it was, it was exciting and there were so many horses still in contention and we had a fabulous winner.”

The Corinthian spirit lives on

It is only two years since Sam Waley-Cohen struck on board Noble Yeats, but it was a long time between drinks for the amateur riders’ brigade, who had enjoyed such great success through Charlie Fenwick on Ben Nevis, Dick Saunders on Grittar and Marcus Armytage on Mr Frisk between 1980 and 1990.

Such is the high standard of jockeyship these days, it will take something special for a non-professional to prevail again, but David Maxwell carried the Corinthian torch admirably in finishing sixth on Ain’t That A Shame.

The millionaire property developer cheekily declared: “That was as much fun as you can have with your trousers on!”

He added: “Crossing the Melling Road I couldn’t believe I was still in touch…I thought ‘bloody hell, I’m going to finish the Grand National’, then I thought ‘I’m going to finish somewhere near the frame’. I’ve never thought it would go like this. It was such a thrill.”

Gina Andrews may be a more accomplished amateur, being crowned champion point-to-point rider 10 times and notching more than 400 winners, but she will have been just as thrilled with the run of Latenightpass, who led two out before fading back to 12th.

Racing should be fun to watch

Aintree attracted just under 60,000 spectators on Saturday and millions more watched the big race on television. Just as the Melbourne Cup is dubbed ‘the race that stops a nation’, the Grand National still has the ability to grip an audience ahead of all other distractions now available.

Nicky Henderson described the action on Merseyside as the “best three days racing you could wish to see anywhere”, and he didn’t even saddle a National runner.

He said: “It was a fabulous Grand National, with lots of horses getting round and everyone safe and sound, which is always paramount…it wants to be celebrated and paraded and everyone saying well done to everyone.”

Dickon White, who runs Aintree as the Jockey Club’s regional director, commented: “The Randox Grand National has a long and storied history and today will be remembered as one of the truly great races.

“Liverpool has once again played its part in making this a fantastic three days, creating a world class atmosphere off the track to match the world-class action on it.”

Ruby Walsh, who won the Grand National twice, summed up this year’s event when stating: “If that doesn’t convince people that this is a wonderful sport then I don’t know what will.”

Ronnie O’Sullivan has called for the World Snooker Championship to be moved from the Crucible, naming Saudi Arabia and China as possible alternatives.

The Sheffield venue has hosted every edition of the tournament since 1977 but the seven-time champion believes the time has come for change.

The 48-year-old will seek to win a record eighth title when the championship begins on April 20, having recently competed in the Saudi capital Riyadh and the Chinese city of Yushan.

“I don’t like the Crucible,” he told the Sun. “I don’t think you can get in and out of it. I think definitely it’s a wise decision to take it away from Sheffield.

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“I think Saudi Arabia would be great. They’ve got the resources and would do it great. If you’re going to take it to China, you’d have to take it to Shanghai. Or another major city like Shenzhen or Guangzhou.

“It’d be done properly. Courtesy cars will be laid on. Food will be there. Hotels will be great. Everything would be paid for. Prize money would be astronomical.

“The snooker becomes secondary. What are the facilities like? What’s it like for the fans? What’s the access like? You don’t need a 10 out of 10 venue. But everything else has to be right.”

Lucinda Russell’s Corach Rambler is none the worse after his Randox Grand National title defence ended at the first fence.

The 10-year-old won the race for owners The Ramblers last season, prevailing by two and a quarter lengths to give the Kinross trainer her second success after One For Arthur in 2017.

This season Corach Rambler aimed to emulate great horses such as Red Rum and Tiger Roll in returning to Aintree to retain his title, but first he was a contender at the very top level in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

There he ran an admirable race when finishing third behind Galopin Des Champs, a run that made his handicap allocation for the Grand National look rather generous.

As such he was well-backed on return to Liverpool and started at 15-2 under Derek Fox having been the favourite for much of the ante-post phase.

Sadly his race ended only moments after it began, with Corach Rambler stumbling on landing after the first fence and unseating Fox.

He then ran loose to the next fence and fell when meeting the ground on the other side, though connections were spared the ordeal of seeing him run riderless for the rest of the race as was he corralled ahead of the third fence and caught.

Russell reported him to be unscathed following the experience and will now call it a day for the season and allow him to enjoy a summer break.

“He’s had a good sleep in his stable and is perfect,” she said.

“We’re very pleased and relieved to have him home in one piece and he’ll now go on a nice holiday and then we’ll decide what happens next.

“He just seemed to stumble and it’s one of the those things, but luck was on our side still as he’s absolutely fine.

“He went into one of the corrals, it’s very good how they work, he was caught quite quickly and that was a relief.”

He could have been forgiven for thinking ‘what if’ when former pupil I Am Maximus sauntered his way to Randox Grand National glory – but Nicky Henderson was simply thrilled for all concerned and three days at Aintree he feels the sport can look back on with pride.

It still seems remarkable Henderson has not trained a National winner during what continues to be a hugely distinguished career, and it is perhaps indicative of his luck in the world’s most famous steeplechase that I Am Maximus was housed at his Lambourn base before switching to Willie Mullins in Ireland.

The future National hero won both a Cheltenham bumper and a Newbury novice hurdle while in the care of Henderson, who admits he was the one runner he was keeping a close eye on during Saturday’s main event.

“I’ve let one slip through the net,” quipped Henderson. “It’s ironic, you spend 45 years trying to win the Grand National and you finally get your mitts on one and we let it get away.

“He was here and spent his first two seasons here – he was a lovely horse – and he was the one horse I wanted to win yesterday.

“I suppose the only thing I might have done to contribute to his success was probably the way we minded him quite a bit when he was young, because he was big and backwards and raw.

“He was a lovely horse with a great temperament, but he wasn’t really ready for big battles in those days and just needed to be treated with respect – and I think that’s what we did.”

He was owned at the time by Michael Grech, who was to switch all his horses to Ireland in the summer of 2022, with I Am Maximus joining Mullins’ swelling Closutton ranks to embark on a novice chasing campaign which culminated in Irish Grand National success in April 2023.

Grech sold I Am Maximus to JP McManus before that Fairyhouse triumph and sadly did not get to see his former charge’s finest hour at Aintree, having died in September last year. But Henderson believes the horse’s big-race victory will be a lasting tribute to his good friend.

He continued: “I’m thrilled, he belongs to JP, who is one of my biggest supporters here and Willie is a great mate – I told him he needed to go get that horse. I’m genuinely thrilled for them.

“Sadly, he had to move on (from ourselves) and Michael Grech was lovely, we had some tremendous days together and it was great fun. The horses then had to go over to Ireland and sadly Michael died and it’s very sad because he was a lovely man.

“All his family were there yesterday, Maxine (his wife) and his children and it was a sad day for them, but he won in Mike’s memory.”

Henderson did not have a runner in this year’s National, but was keen to heap praise on officials at Aintree for not just the successful alterations they made to the race itself, but for the three days in Liverpool overall.

The 73-year-old roared back to form himself on Merseyside after a testing Cheltenham Festival, with star performers Sir Gino and Jonbon both scooping Grade One honours.

He described the action on Merseyside as the “best three days racing you could wish to see anywhere”, with racing deserving of a massive pat on the back after a thrilling three days of action in the north west.

“I thought it was a fantastic race and it was a brilliant three days, you won’t see better racing anywhere,” said Henderson.

“Aintree need huge credit for it and after Cheltenham everyone was so down and out, it was all so gloomy and everything was wrong, so after all that, we need to say this was brilliant.

“I wasn’t going round Cheltenham doom and gloom because I couldn’t play, but I was back playing the game again this week which was good fun and the horses ran well throughout the week.

“It was a fabulous Grand National, with lots of horses getting round and everyone safe and sound, which is always a paramount – and I just thought it was the best three days racing you could wish to see anywhere and it wants to be celebrated and paraded and everyone saying well done to everyone.

“The sport did very well for three days and I know we are all under the cosh at Cheltenham and under pressure and maybe things get a bit heated or overtried, but up at Aintree everyone was there to have a good time and enjoy it and they did – and I thought it was first class all the way through.”

Gordon Elliott has hinted exciting mare Brighterdaysahead could be sent novice chasing next season.

The Cullentra House handler has made no secret of how highly he rates the half-sister to star performers such as Mighty Potter and Caldwell Potter.

She was a beaten favourite when second to Golden Ace in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival but bounced back to claim Grade One glory at Aintree on Saturday.

Brighterdaysahead was subsequently promoted to second-favourite for next year’s Mares’ Hurdle behind Lossiemouth, but the Gigginstown House Stud-owned five-year-old may now be put over fences instead.

“I’ll have to speak to Michael and Eddie (O’Leary) about whether we’ll go chasing or whether she’ll stay hurdling, that’s yet to be confirmed,” said Elliott.

“But knowing Michael, he loves chasers and it wouldn’t be the biggest shock in the world if she goes chasing next year.”

Elliott was understandably delighted with the Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle success, with Brighterdaysahead coming home seven and a half lengths clear of stablemate Staffordshire Knot.

The trainer told Racing TV’s Luck On Sunday programme: “I was gutted when she got beat at Cheltenham, because I’d said how much I thought of her, but what she did yesterday, I thought she looked special. I got a big kick out of that, to be honest.

“She’s going the right way and I think she’s going to be stronger with a summer’s grass – we’re really looking forward to next year with her.

“She’s just got a great attitude, she’s very classy and I loved the way she jumped, she was very quick from A to B, very fast away from the hurdles.”

Elliott just missed out in his bid for a fourth Grand National triumph but hailed the efforts of runner-up Delta Work and fourth-placed Galvin, who are set to have another crack at Aintree glory next year.

He said: “You’d like to think with the way they ran that would be the road for them. They’re not getting any younger, so it’s not going to be easy for them, but we’ll work our way back from the Grand National again.”

Richard Hannon’s Group One winner Rosallion will head straight for the Qipco 2000 Guineas.

Hannon and owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid had been weighing up whether to take in a trial en route to the Newmarket Classic, for which the Blue Point colt is a best-riced 6-1 second-favourite behind City Of Troy.

However, they have decided the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner will avoid a testing run in soft ground and go there fresh.

“We have made the call that due to the unbelievable amount of rain we have had over the past months, Rosallion will not have a prep run and will head straight to the 2000 Guineas in May,” said Hannon on his website, www.richardhannonracing.co.uk.

“It has been a tough decision for both myself and his owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, but with the ground as testing as it currently is, a run now would be too hard for him to recover in just two weeks.

“Rosallion has been in great form at home and we have given him two away days now where he has looked very impressive. He is fit and well and we are confident that he goes to Newmarket ready to take his chance.”

Football and cricket’s transgender inclusion policies are set to come under Government scrutiny at a meeting on Monday afternoon.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer has convened a gathering of national sports governing bodies to discuss developments related to this hugely controversial topic.

The Football Association and the England and Wales Cricket Board’s policies are under review, but do currently permit transgender women to compete in female competitions subject to certain conditions.

Frazer told Sky News last month: “I think it’s very important that women are able to compete against women and there’s an inherent unfairness, that if you’re not biologically a woman, you have a competitive advantage.

“And I think a number of sports have looked at this very carefully and come to the decision that it’s not appropriate to have women competing against people who are not biologically women.

“We’ve seen that in rowing. We’ve seen that in swimming. And I would encourage other sporting bodies to look at that very carefully.”

Transgender women can play in adult female competitions governed by the FA provided their testosterone levels are within the natal female range for an appropriate period of time.

The ECB’s current transgender policy allows a trans woman to play in any female-only competition governed by the ECB and states that those individuals “should be accepted in the gender with which they identify”.  The same principle applies at professional and England pathway level, subject to the trans woman being given written clearance to participate.

The ECB also has a separate disparity policy which can be applied when safety concerns are raised around differences in strength, stamina and physique, for example.

The policy covers safety matters for all players regardless of gender, but where safety concerns arise as a result of a trans woman participating in a female-only competition in the recreational game, the practices, principles and procedures set out in the policy could be applied.

Transgender women were banned from female cricket at international level last year after a change in policy by the sport’s global governing body, the International Cricket Council.

It joined a number of other international federations, such as athletics, swimming and cycling, in stating that anyone who has been through any part of male puberty would no longer be eligible to play in international women’s cricket.

Following the ICC announcement, the ECB said in a statement: “We are currently consulting on our own transgender participation policy for the professional game in England and Wales and expect to reach a conclusion on this shortly.”

A recent BBC survey found more than 100 elite sportswomen were uncomfortable with transgender women competing in female categories in their sport.

A paper published last month in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports also said the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was wrong on current evidence to say in its framework on transgender inclusion there could be no presumed advantage to transgender women.

Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas is seeking to challenge World Aquatics rules introduced in 2022 which prohibit her from competing in the female category.

The rules are set to be challenged at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) by Thomas’ legal team on the grounds that they are discriminatory and that such discrimination “cannot be justified as necessary, reasonable, or proportionate to achieve a legitimate sporting objective”.

The San Antonio Spurs will be without Victor Wembanyama for their final game of the season on Sunday.

San Antonio face the Detroit Pistons in their last fixture of the 2023-24 campaign.

The Spurs have a 21-60 record on the season, and sit 14th in the Western Conference.

Wembanyama has nevertheless enjoyed a fine rookie season in the NBA, having been selected as the No.1 overall pick in last year's Draft.

The seven-foot-four French youngster will sit out against the Pistons due to an ankle injury, meaning he ends his rookie campaign with 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and an NBA-leading 3.6 blocks per game.

Wembanyama has played 71 times for the Spurs, who he helped to overcome the Denver Nuggets on Friday, finishing with 34 points, 12 rebounds and five assists.

After that game, the 20-year-old said: "As a growing team, a young team, it's big for us.

"We're going to need these kind of wins in the future. We're going to need any win. But big-time wins against big teams, first seeds, we're going to need those in the future.

"We've got the potential to be great. The fact that we have the chance to live this, with the fans, I can only hope it's as incredible as it can be."

Wembanyama became the first rookie to accumulate 1,500 points, 250 assists and 250 blocks across the season, while he is only the fourth player in the history of the NBA to do so, after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson.

Betfair’s ‘Rachael Blackmore Serial Winners Fund’ wrapped up having raised £250,000 for the Injured Jockeys Fund and the Irish Injured Jockeys.

The initiative began on Betfair Chase day at Haydock last November, when the bookmaker pledged to add £5,000 to the pot every time Blackmore rode a winner between that meeting and the Grand National fixture.

Betfair kicked off the fund with a £100,000 donation and Blackmore duly provided the winners, including two Cheltenham Festival victories worth a boosted £10,000 each.

She then came incredibly close aboard Bob Olinger in the Aintree Hurdle on Thursday, missing out by a nose after suffering interference and failing to persuade the stewards that the placings ought to be reversed.

Betfair added to the fund nevertheless, providing a ‘justice payout’ to hit the £250,000 mark as the fundraising window drew to a close following Blackmore’s third-placed run aboard Minella Indo in the Grand National.

Blackmore said: “The Serial Winners Fund was an incredible initiative run by Betfair throughout the season in support of the Injured Jockeys Fund in Ireland and UK, it’s one that I am very proud to have been a part of.

“This really is a substantial donation, generously topped up by Betfair, and will support the vital work they carry out helping jockeys in all areas of their lives.”

Lisa Hancock, CEO of the Injured Jockeys Fund, added: “Coming to the Canal Turn, we thought that Rachel and Minella Indo were going to finish the initiative in the most spectacular way, but I Am Maximus had other ideas.

“It’s been a wonderful campaign for us and we are so grateful to the Betfair team for supporting us so very generously.”

Michael Higgins, general manager of the Irish Injured Jockeys, commented: “We’re delighted to be part of the Betfair Serial Winners Fund with our UK colleagues the IJF. Thanks to Betfair for their generosity and Rachael for her winners.”

Betfair’s Charlotte Booth said: “Our team visited both Oaksey House in Lambourn and the RACE facility in Ireland and witnessed firsthand the work both charities do. It’s nothing short of amazing to see the services and support they provide to jockeys and the dedication of the teams.

“These are such important charities for the racing community, and I am sure this initiative has raised awareness of these great causes.”