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.

OJ Simpson has died of cancer at the age of 76.

Simpson was a running back for the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers from 1969 to 1979, before being acquitted of murder in a trial in the mid-1990s.

News of Simpson’s death was announced by his children on his X account.

“On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer,” read a statement.

“He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace. -The Simpson Family”

Ben Pauling’s The Jukebox Man bids to build on a Cheltenham near-miss as he lines up for the Cavani Sartorial Menswear Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.

The gelding, who is owned by Harry Redknapp, won his first two starts over hurdles and was then third at Grade One level in the Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury at the end of last year.

He was subsequently somewhat overlooked at 18-1 for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival but outran those odds when going agonisingly close, as he was beaten just a head by Stellar Story.

The Jukebox Man now returns at the same level in Liverpool, having proven in defeat that he is well able to mix it with the best.

“He’s come out of Cheltenham in good form and we’re really looking forward to seeing him run again,” said Pauling.

“Watching the race back, we felt we could have done a few things differently, but all in all he showed us he is a Grade One performer for the future, which is very exciting in itself.

“He’s not a flamboyant horse at home, he just does what he has to do, but he seems in good order with himself, so we’re looking forward to rolling the dice again.”

Nicky Henderson’s Shanagh Bob looks to demonstrate his promise again in the race and preserve his unbeaten record.

The six-year-old has run twice under rules, taking a Plumpton novice on debut and then stepping sharply up in grade to land the Bristol Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in December.

He was due to return to the same track to contest the Albert Bartlett, but like many Henderson runners, he was withdrawn as the stable was suspected to be in ill health.

“I don’t really know how good he could be, he’s a horse that could fool you a little bit,” said Henderson.

“It probably tells you a little bit that we started at Plumpton first time out.

“It’s not the normal nursery ground we use, it’s a great track, don’t get me wrong, but you wouldn’t expect to see the Albert Bartlett favourite at that time of year.

“He was good and we moved straight into Cheltenham, when he was really impressive.

“He’s a lovely horse, he’ll jump a fence and I’d love him to come through this because if he does, we go novice chasing with a top-class horse on our hands.”

Gordon Elliott has a single runner in Croke Park, while Willie Mullins fields Naas Grade One winner Readin Tommy Wrong and Dancing City.

Readin Tommy Wrong was the favourite for the Albert Bartlett but was pulled up on an off day that Mullins’ son and assistant Patrick thinks he can be forgiven for.

“Paul (Townend) chose Readin Tommy Wrong in Cheltenham, he’s the horse with the touch of class in a staying race,” he told Sporting Life.

“He came from behind in a two-and-a-half-mile race in the Lawlor’s, he should be ideal for a staying race because he settles and a horse that settles is worth 10lb in one of these races.

“Nothing really came to light after Cheltenham, I think he just had an off day and you can draw a line through that. You can always forgive a horse one bad run.

“It’s obviously not ideal coming off the back of that but for me I’d still back him to get back to his Naas form. I just think he has that little bit of class that separates the real stayers from the other horses.”

Dancing City also contested the Albert Bartlett and was third, though the margin was wide and the younger Mullins feels he had luck on his side that day.

“Dancing City is more of a galloper, more dour,” he said.

“He ran really well at Cheltenham, but I think a lot went right for him and he was still well beaten, so I’m not sure where I’m going to see the improvement from him, but I could see him running a solid race.”

Relief was the overriding emotion for Nicky Henderson after Sir Gino got the Seven Barrows handler back in the big-race winner’s enclosure with victory in the Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree.

The trainer endured a torrid time at last month’s Cheltenham Festival, with the disappointing performances of several horses leading him to withdraw a number of others, unbeaten juvenile Sir Gino being one.

The Triumph Hurdle absentee proved his worth on Merseyside, though, tracking the Cheltenham runner-up Kargese into the home straight in the hands of Nico de Boinville.

The 11-10 favourite was far from foot perfect at the next couple of obstacles, but picked up well after a good leap at the final flight to prevail by three and a quarter lengths.

Henderson said: “We knew what we were walking into and while it is a relief, one swallow doesn’t make a summer as they say.

“He galloped right through the line in what was a messy race, it was awfully stop-start. His jumping was untidy up the straight but you could see from the speed on the screen, it got slowed up dramatically, the second was pulling hard as well but he’s done what he had to do.

“He is a very good horse but he’s got a long way to go. He is in Punchestown but that was in case of protestors or bomb scares or something stupid, but I wouldn’t have thought that was high on the agenda.

“I always had the feeling he was going to pick up the second but you could get a tidier race than that.

“He’ll have to stick to hurdles next season but I’m not going to think about that now. I know where one person (Constitution Hill) is going, so we’ll have to see if there’s an alternative route.”

The most high-profile absentee from Henderson’s Cheltenham squad was, of course, last season’s Champion Hurdle hero Constitution Hill, who has since been in hospital after suffering from colic.

Henderson added: “All trainers know what a spell like we’ve had is like, the problem we had was the timing, unfortunately it was more public than was probably necessary because we literally bumped into Cheltenham.

“We were sat at home watching the Triumph Hurdle. At least we’ve got through a little bit but we’ve got to do it all again now, the yard will be relieved though.

“Constitution Hill is fine now, thankfully. I’m not sure if he was watching but he’s a two-mile hurdler and that is what this is, they might get to know each other.”

Willie Mullins said of the runner-up Kargese: “It was a very good run, the winner is a tremendous horse and it’s great to see Nicky’s horses back in form. I’m delighted for him and Joe and Marie Donnelly (owners).

“Our filly is probably her own worst enemy, she has to learn to race, as she’s too keen. She will mature I hope and make it easier for Paul (Townend) to ride her.

“She looks a very good filly for next season but I think she’ll go to Punchestown first. It’s only up the road from us and she won’t need any galloping between now and then. We’ll freshen her up and bring her back for Punchestown all being well.”

Gerri Colombe battled to victory to take the William Hill Bowl Chase at Aintree.

Gordon Elliott’s Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up was sent off the 9-4 favourite and travelled competitively throughout under Jack Kennedy.

He was ridden rounding the home turn but as stamina came to the fore up the run in, he locked horns with Ahoy Senor.

While Lucinda Russell’s charge did his best to fight back up the inside, Gerri Colombe was just too strong and came home half a length in front.

Corbetts Cross finished a further two and a quarter lengths back in third.

Kyrie Irving declared the red-hot Dallas Mavericks are "just getting started" after Wednesday's 111-92 win over the Miami Heat saw them wrap up the Southwest Division title.

Irving had 25 points in support of Luka Doncic, who fell just short of his 22nd triple-double of the season by finishing with 29 points, nine rebounds and nine assists at Kaseya Center.

Dallas have hit 50 wins for the season with two games remaining, having won 16 times in their last 18 games, their only defeats in that span coming on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Golden State Warriors. 

After they pulled clear of the New Orleans Pelicans to become Southwest champions for the first time since 2020-21, Irving told his team-mates to celebrate, but also to stay focused on the bigger prizes.

"We just know that the job isn't finished and we're just getting started," Irving said after Wednesday's game. "But we do have to celebrate the small wins.

"Tonight was a step in that direction of celebrating a small win, just to get to 50 wins. Some guys in that locker room haven't experienced 50 wins. It's a total organizational effort, top to bottom."

The Mavs have won five in a row since last dropping a game against the Warriors, and they are now within one game of the Los Angeles Clippers for the Western Conference's fourth seed.

Head coach Jason Kidd said: "It sounds great. We've checked the box on one goal."

The Heat, meanwhile, saw their hopes of avoiding the Play-In Tournament take a blow as Jimmy Butler was held to just 12 points, Tyler Herro leading the hosts with 21.

Miami are now two games back of the Indiana Pacers, who occupy the Eastern Conference's sixth seed, and one behind the Philadelphia 76ers in seventh.

Head coach Erik Spoelstra is confident they will bounce back quickly, saying: "We have a great group. We have a very competitive locker room. We all want the same thing.

"Sometimes, this league can just really humble you, and that's what happened tonight."

Sir Gino preserved his flawless record with a neat victory in the Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree.

Nicky Henderson’s gelding missed the Cheltenham Festival as the stable was under a cloud and looked to claim his first Grade One in Liverpool instead.

Under Nico de Boinville, he did so with little fuss, winning comfortably as the 11-10 favourite after a good jump at the last.

Nikola Jokic said he is not the only player deserving of MVP honours after strengthening his case by putting up 41 points in the Denver Nuggets' crucial victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.  

Jokic is favoured to see off competition from Luka Doncic and be crowned MVP for the third time in four seasons, and he did his hopes no harm in what was arguably the game of the year to date.

The Timberwolves entered the game top of the West due to holding the tiebreaker over the Nuggets, but the reigning NBA champions leapfrogged them with a crucial 116-107 win at Ball Arena.

Jokic added 11 rebounds and seven assists in the 20th 40-point game of his career, shooting 16-of-20 from the field as a big second half carried the Nuggets home in front of a capacity crowd.

Asked what the performance meant for his hopes of landing the league's top individual prize, Jokic said: "I think I'm playing good basketball. The team is playing good basketball,

"I think there is a lot of guys playing really good basketball in the league and a couple of guys deserve to have that award."

The 2021 and 2022 MVP instead preferred to focus on the role of Denver's closers Peyton Watson and Christian Braun, saying: "They were great. 

"P-Wat, it seemed like he was all over the place. He was just full of energy. C.B., with that sequence of two minutes, it was really amazing. 

"I was happy for those guys. They don't get enough credit for what they are doing on the floor, and they're helping us energy-wise, effort-wise. We need them."

Jokic's huge performance came despite him being guarded by the league's top defender in Rudy Gobert, leading Denver coach Michael Malone to describe the Serbian as unstoppable.

"Nikola always embraces the physicality. He never shies away from it," Malone said. "Rudy Gobert is going to be a Hall of Fame player one day. 

"Rudy Gobert is going to be regarded as one of the best defenders of his generation. It just speaks to how great Nikola is. I don't think anybody in the NBA can guard Nikola one-on-one."

Minnesota now need the Nuggets to slip up in one of their final two games, at the San Antonio Spurs and the Memphis Grizzlies, to allow them back into the race for the top seed. 

Guard Anthony Edwards, who put up a team-high 25 points, said: "We knew what this game was going to determine.

"If we won it, we knew we were going to possibly be the number one seed. If we lost it, we knew they'd possibly be the number one seed. 

"I think we cared before but now that we lost, we can't do nothing about it."

Il Etait Temps cruised to success in the Close Brothers Manifesto Novices’ Chase as the Grand National meeting got underway at Aintree.

Willie Mullins’ grey was ridden by Paul Townend and travelled patiently at the rear of the field of five.

He was always in touch, however, and was able to pick off each of his rivals to take up the lead ahead of the last fence and went on to prevail comfortably at 3-1.

Tyson Fury has emphasised facing Anthony Joshua is part of the plan for his next few fights if his fellow Briton “keeps going and keeps winning”.

Since being beaten twice by Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022, former world heavyweight champion Joshua has recorded four victories, most recently a second-round knockout win over ex-UFC fighter Francis Ngannou in Riyadh last month.

WBC title-holder Fury is currently preparing for a May 18 clash at the same venue with Usyk, who has the WBA, IBF and WBO belts, to crown the first undisputed world heavyweight champion of the century.

And on Joshua being part of the equation for what lies beyond that, Fury told the PA news agency: “Yeah, for sure – if he keeps going and keeps winning, like I’m going to keep doing.”

He added: “Either way, me and AJ could still fight at Wembley if we were 50 years old and still make a s**t ton of money. I think that’s facts for sure.”

In February, just after the meeting with Usyk had been rescheduled for May, Fury spoke about five fights he had in mind – two with Usyk, then facing Joshua “maybe twice” before a rematch against Ngannou, who he beat via split decision in October.

Fury said that was “just the start…five fights for you to whet your appetite”.

At a press conference in Morecambe on Wednesday, the talk was of 10 fights, with Turki Alalshikh, a Saudi adviser who has helped put on major boxing events, saying via a phonecall that was played out over a top-table microphone: “We want Tyson for five, seven, 10 fights more.”

And Fury told PA: “Ten-fight plan. Ten fights for over a billion dollars – doesn’t sound bad does it?”

Fury, who said he felt Joshua “did really well” against Ngannou, was knocked down by the mixed martial artist in the third round when they fought in October last year.

Regarding that contest, he said: “Just a fight. I had a good training camp, had a good night.

“I go to a place, do my job, get paid, get out of there, come home and that’s how it’s always been, and I’ve been successful at doing that all my career.”

The clash between Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) and fellow unbeaten fighter Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) had originally been scheduled for February 17, but was postponed 15 days prior to that after the former suffered a cut above his right eye in sparring.

Fury at Wednesday’s press conference described himself as being in “fantastic shape” and expressed his confidence he will defeat Usyk, the former undisputed cruiserweight champion who made his heavyweight debut in 2019, stressing that “size really matters”.

The 35-year-old added that it was “my time, my destiny, my era and my generation”.

And when asked if the fight was an opportunity to prove a point to people, he told PA: “I don’t really have to prove much to anybody to be honest. My bank balance alone proves I’m a success, and all the titles I’ve won along the way.

“I’m not really proving anybody wrong or right any more, I’m just doing it for the fun and love of the game really.

“I could have retired maybe 10 years ago and lived a very nice life. However, I do it because, let’s face facts, I don’t really have much else to do other than taking the kids to school, emptying the bins and picking up dog s**t.

“But other than that, boxing is my love. I’ll continue to do it until I can’t do any more.”

Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter wants his team to take the experience of winning in France into their tough Champions Cup meeting with Toulouse on Sunday.

The Chiefs fought back to beat Bath 21-15 last week to book their spot in the quarter-finals but now have the challenge of facing five-time champions Toulouse at the Stade Ernest-Wallon.

Exeter are underdogs heading into the clash but are familiar with the feeling of winning in France, having kicked off their Champions Cup campaign with a thrilling 19-18 victory over Toulon in December.

Baxter knows the size of the task ahead of his team but thinks the result earlier in the season has instilled the belief to do something similar this weekend.

Speaking at a press conference, Baxter said: “The Toulon game was something that created an element of belief of ‘we are doing the right things and heading in the right direction’ amongst the players and you need that.

“I think it gives the players an element of belief that we can do it, go over there and play the big sides, but I also think it gives them a level of looking forward to it because, without doubt when you go and experience the atmosphere, the noise level at the end of the game was incredible for anyone who was there.

“That’s created the excitement and nervous anticipation around the squad this week in training which is exactly what you want to be.”

Exeter responded well to beat Bath on Saturday after they were thrashed 41-5 at the hands of Sale the week before.

Baxter revealed the players had clear-the-air discussions prior to their win last week, but the Chiefs boss now wants his side to back up the result with another good performance.

He added: “As a team the lads have got to do the hardest thing to do in sport and get to a really competitive level for two weeks running.

“At the same time that’s how you win trophies, winning trophies or big games is when you put back-to-back big performances in semi-final to final or last-16 to quarter-final, that’s how things have to happen if you want to win.”

France’s key man Antoine Dupont will be in action for Toulouse and will undoubtedly be highlighted as a key threat for Baxter’s men to deal with.

Baxter said: “If you know the opposition nine is a particular threat in the team, the focus isn’t necessarily on the nine it’s the things that allow him to be a threat.

“Dealing with Dupont will be very difficult if we don’t deal with the other platforms but that goes for any decent player.

“If we can challenge them in that way, that’s how you potentially limit his opportunities. You can create an environment which is harder for him to show it, that’s how we have to approach the game.”

The start of the 88th Masters was delayed by two and a half hours on Thursday due to bad weather at Augusta National.

South Africa’s Erik 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 were scheduled to kick off proceedings by each hitting a tee shot on the first hole 20 minutes earlier.

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.