Saturday’s high-profile fixture at Newcastle, which was due to stage the return of the brilliant Constitution Hill, has been abandoned due to snow on the track.

Nicky Henderson’s charge was set to be the star of the show this weekend, in his bid for back-to-back victories in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle.

Adding further spice to a quality card was the intended presence of his top-class stablemate Shishkin, who was poised to contest the Rehearsal Chase having refused to start at Ascot last weekend.

Officials deployed frost sheets across the entirety of the Newcastle track on Tuesday to guard against sub-zero temperatures, and on Friday morning clerk of the course Eloise Quayle reported the surface underneath to be raceable.

However, with snow having already fallen, a precautionary inspection for 2.30pm on Friday was called to assess the situation and Quayle ultimately had no option but to call off proceedings.

She said: “We’re absolutely gutted. We’ve had five centimetres of snow in total and we tried to have a practice run of taking the frost sheets off with the snow on, which first of all proved incredibly difficult, then secondly as we were taking them up the ground was freezing over behind us.

“The ground wasn’t frozen as we were taking them off, but within half an hour it was white over. Given we were having our warmest temperatures at the time we were taking them off, coupled with the difficulties taking them off in the first place, I think we were pretty hopeless, sadly.

“We’ve tried everything we can, but unfortunately sometimes you just can’t beat the weather.”

While Friday’s Newbury meeting went ahead as scheduled, a precautionary inspection has been called for 7.30am ahead of Saturday’s Coral Gold Cup card.

Covers were put down earlier in the week and were due to be reapplied at the end of Friday’s meeting ahead of overnight temperatures which could dip as low as minus 4C overnight.

Doncaster also have a Saturday card, which will be subject to a 7.30am check.

Fairyhouse is due to stage a classy two-day fixture on Saturday and Sunday, although the opening day is subject to a 7.30am inspection.

Brendan Sheridan, Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board clerk of the course at Fairyhouse, said: “We had a slight grass frost at Fairyhouse this morning following a cold night, but the track is currently fit for racing.

“Having spoken with Met Eireann this morning, the forecast for tonight is for temperatures to get down to minus 3C and not much higher than 2C tomorrow.

“In light of that forecast, we will have an inspection at 7.30am on Saturday morning to assess the situation for day one of our Winter Festival.”

Bangor’s Saturday National Hunt meeting is subject to a precautionary inspection at 8am, while Sunday’s meetings at Leicester and Carlisle will have to pass 11.30am and 12pm checks respectively on Saturday, with Carlisle currently unraceable due to frozen patches of ground.

Grand National hero Corach Rambler could head straight for the Cheltenham Gold Cup following his creditable third-placed finish in last weekend’s Betfair Chase.

Lucinda Russell’s charge was disappointing on his seasonal reappearance at Kelso in October, but was nevertheless stepped up to Grade One level for the first time at Haydock.

The nine-year-old was ultimately unable to land a telling blow on Merseyside, but Russell’s partner and assistant Peter Scudamore feels there was enough encouragement in the performance to suggest he would be no forlorn hope come Gold Cup day in March.

He said: “I was delighted, I thought he ran a fantastic race. Derek (Fox) thought the ground was a bit soft for him, but he stuck at it well.

“I think he’s got an opportunity of being placed in a Gold Cup. I don’t think he’ll win it, but I think he’s got an opportunity to be placed.

“We’re not quite sure where we’re going between now and then, but personally I think we should do the same as last year – give him a racecourse gallop, go to Cheltenham and then go to Aintree.

“We’ll see how he is, but that’s what I think.”

Corach Rambler has won the Ultima Handicap Chase at each of the last two Cheltenham Festivals and the form of his second victory has been boosted hugely by the runner-up Fastorslow.

Martin Brassil’s stable star went on to beat Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs in the Punchestown Gold Cup before the end of last season, and proved that was no fluke by taking his measure again in last Sunday’s John Durkan at Punchestown.

Scudamore added: “Corach Rambler loves Cheltenham and has performed round well at Cheltenham. He obviously beat Fastorslow last season and the extra two furlongs of the Gold Cup won’t worry him.

“Last year he went to Carlisle, then he finished fourth at Newbury (in the Coral Gold Cup) and then it was a big step up from Newbury to what he did at Cheltenham.

“I think he ran to the same standard as he did at Newbury last year when he ran at Haydock the other day on ground that was possibly softer than he likes.

“I think he’s a worthy runner in the Gold Cup – I don’t think he’d just be turning up for the day out – and I’d be quite happy to go straight there.”

Milton Harris’ assistant Tony Charlton has been granted a temporary training licence after an interim suspension was imposed on Wiltshire-based Harris by the British Horseracing Authority.

Harris has not been able to have runners since November 9, when Balboa and Giddyupadingdong were not permitted to compete at Ludlow by the BHA, with the Warminster trainer due to face a licensing committee hearing in January.

Charlton has now been given a temporary licence to train from Harris’ Sutton Veny yard, although it is “with agreed conditions attached”.

Horses who have remained in Harris’ yard since the trainer’s licence was suspended will be able to run from December 14, although any horse who has been in a licensed yard and moves to Charlton will be eligible to run immediately.

Harris, who started his training career in 2001, had a seven-year enforced absence from 2011 to 2018 due to financial issues.

Since returning to the sport he has saddled some notable winners, highlighted by Knight Salute, who claimed the 2022 Grade One Jewson Anniversary 4-y-o Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree along with three Grade Two victories that season.

Hermes Allen made a fine start to his career over fences with a smooth success in the Coral John Francome Novices’ Chase at Newbury.

The six-year-old looked a top-class prospect after striking Grade One gold in the Challow Hurdle at the Berkshire track late last year but was unable to replicate that form in the spring after being sent off favourite for both the Ballymore at Cheltenham and the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.

Having undergone wind surgery during the off-season, the Paul Nicholls-trained gelding was the 13-8 market leader for his reappearance and chasing bow and ultimately got the job done in convincing fashion.

The keen-going Nickle Back took the six-strong field along for much of the two-and-a-half-mile journey and looked to have the chasing pack in trouble rounding the home turn, with Harry Cobden having to ask Hermes Allen a question or two to close the gap.

However, Nickle Back’s earlier exertions began to take their toll halfway up the straight and Hermes Allen soon took his measure before stretching six and a half lengths clear.

“It was a proper race today, which you’d expect, and I’m thrilled with that. He jumped well, travelled well, learnt a lot and galloped on well,” Nicholls told Racing TV.

“Harry was thrilled with him, he said he was very clever jumping, especially late on, and that’s just what you want from a novice chaser first time.

“I’ve said quite openly, we missed a month’s work with him and I’ve been chasing my tail to get him ready, to be honest. It’s only a fortnight ago that I thought we’d get here, luckily we were able to gallop him here on the gallops morning, he’s schooled well and we’ve just about got away with it.

“He will improve fitness-wise, but he’s just got natural ability. His form in the first half of last season was very good, then he lost his way a bit, but he was struggling with his breathing all season and I think that caught up with him in the spring. He’s the finished article now.”

The Ditcheat handler now faces a quandary over how best to campaign what appears a particularly strong team of novice chasers in the staying division.

He said: “The idea is that Stay Away Fay runs at Sandown next week (Esher Novices’ Chase) and Knappers Hill is going to go to Kempton (Kauto Star Novices’ Chase on Boxing Day). I was thinking this horse would go for the Dipper on New Year’s Day at Cheltenham, but that’s gone now, so we’ll have to come up with something else.

“I don’t want to run them against each other at the moment. We’ll have to in the spring, but at the moment it’s pointless really.

“Whether I go to Cheltenham in a fortnight’s time with this horse over two-and-a-half and then leave him for the Scilly Isles (at Sandown in February), that could be a possibility.”

John McConnell is out to put a recent quiet spell behind him by claiming one of the biggest victories of his training career so far in the “iconic” Coral Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday.

The County Meath handler is one of coming forces on the Irish jumps scene, as advertised my multiple Graded-race victories in recent years and a first Cheltenham Festival success with Seddon last season.

Mahler Mission may well be a Festival hero himself, had he not fallen two fences from home when still bang in contention in the National Hunt Chase in March.

And following a pleasing comeback run when second in the Colin Parker Memorial Chase at Carlisle last month, the seven-year-old will line up this weekend with leading claims.

“I’m very happy with him, everything has gone well and we’re looking forward to it,” said McConnell.

“He’s travelled over and travelled fine, everything is good that way and there’s not a bother on him.

“Conditions should be OK, so we’re looking for a trouble-free run and after that we’ll see what happens.

“We were delighted with Carlisle. I think given it was two and a half miles on a right-handed track it was a very good run, and this trip should be more suitable.”

While Mahler Mission clearly has plenty going for him, there are a couple of obvious negatives.

Not only has McConnell gone over 50 days and saddled more than 40 runners since his last winner, but the Irish also have a surprisingly poor record in the former Hennessy Gold Cup, with the victory of the Willie Mullins-trained Total Recall in 2017 a first for the raiding party since Bright Highway’s success in 1980.

McConnell, though, remains positive, adding: “We’ve been a little bit quiet, but the jumps horses have been running mainly OK and it’s very competitive at this time of year, so I’m not overly worried.

“The Irish don’t have a great record in the race, I don’t know if there’s a particular reason, but hopefully we can change that.

“It’s one of the iconic races I’ve grown up watching and to have a runner in it is great, to think about winning it is just unreal.”

There is a second major contender from Ireland in the form of Gavin Cromwell’s Stumptown.

The six-year-old has disappointed in his last three races, but had previously looked a likely candidate for a race of this nature by winning at Sandown and finishing second in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham.

Cromwell said: “He’s in great nick and has a lovely racing weight, so hopefully he will have a good chance.

“The last day he ran in the Kerry National he made a mistake, I think it was four out, and wasn’t beaten far, so it wasn’t that bad of a run.

“When he was pulled up in the Irish Grand National it was quite soon after Cheltenham and it was run on very soft ground, which probably wasn’t ideal.”

The home team is headed by Complete Unknown, who bids to provide Paul Nicholls with a fourth victory in the race as a trainer and a sixth overall, having also ridden the winner twice in the 1980s aboard Broadheath and Playschool.

Nicholls told Betfair: “This race has been his target since he came back into training early in July. Second-season chasers have a great record in the Coral Gold Cup and he comes to Newbury in top form after a tidy win at Newton Abbot in October when he was only half fit. That was his first start since a wind op in the summer and he has improved tons for the outing.

“Complete Unknown schooled really well on Thursday and we are very happy with him. Most of his form is on testing ground, but that is mainly down to circumstance and he was an excellent second to Gerri Colombe on good to soft going at Aintree in April. As long as the ground at Newbury is similar he should be fine.”

Dan and Harry Skelton combined to win last year’s Coral Gold Cup with Le Milos and are out to repeat the feat with Midnight River, who returns to handicap company after finishing third in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on his seasonal debut.

“Midnight River is very well and this is what we have had our eye on for a while with him. He jumped on Wednesday morning and that told us everything is ready,” said the trainer.

“I was delighted with his run in the Charlie Hall, he couldn’t beat the first two that day, we tried to go with them turning in but he didn’t have that class if you like, but he’s improved a good bit since then and we’ve aimed at this ever since.

“He’s been in all those top handicaps last season so he does have that experience, but I’m sure it will be a very good race, it always is.”

Other contenders include Lucinda Russell’s top-weight Ahoy Senor and the Sam Thomas-trained pair of Stolen Silver and Our Power.

Russell said in her blog for William Hill: “He’s a very classy horse, but it is a heck of a weight to carry round. He’s run very well round Newbury before, where the fences suit him, and I think we’ll see a much-improved performance from his run at Wetherby.

“At an each-way price I think he’s been overlooked and we think finishing in the first four would be a satisfactory result. I’m quite bullish about him in a way because he’ll be much better for his comeback run, but it’s a big field and he has to carry top-weight.”

Para shot-put and discus thrower Funmi Oduwaiye distinctly remembers the day her sister pointed to Paralympic champion Jonnie Peacock on the documentary Rising Phoenix and said “that could be you”.

While many would be flattered by the comparison to Peacock, who took home gold at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games, the Cardiff athlete’s immediate reaction was “god forbid”.

Oduwaiye was in recovery from one of 10 surgeries to her knee over the space of three years, but she was not ready to give up on a future in basketball. Accepting her disability felt like denying her destiny.

“I (wanted) my leg to heal and then have an amazing story and go back to basketball,” she told the PA news agency ahead of Sunday’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

“I was definitely above average with my dedication to basketball. It was tough.

“Not even the thought of being able-bodied and now being disabled, it’s like, I was an athlete. I wanted to pursue being a professional athlete as a career. In my head, I was like, ‘there’s no way I can do that’.

“I can’t even feel my leg. I can’t even move my leg. They’re talking about cutting it off.”

Four months ago, just a over year after starting a new journey in in para athletics, Oduwaiye finished sixth in F64 discus and fourth in F64 shot put on debut at the World Para Athletics Championships in Paris, where she confesses it took a while before she recognised one of her team-mates: Jonnie Peacock.

They had eaten dinner together, but Oduwaiye recalled: “When I first met him, I didn’t even realise because I was still trying to remember everyone, but I didn’t know it was him until we started watching Rising Phoenix at the championships and I was like, ‘Wait! No way!’”

Oduwaiye was playing for a basketball academy by age 11 and representing Wales by her mid-teens, when she was getting offers to play in Europe but ultimately aiming for US college ball.

Everything changed when she underwent surgery to rectify a joint issue, during which doctors damaged an artery, and subsequent surgeries to rectify the problem were unsuccessful.

One of Oduwaiye’s team-mates was married to Paralympic medal winner, Anthony Stevens, who put her in touch with the late Anthony Hughes, an influential coach and athlete in Welsh para-sport.

It was through him she met her coach, Josh Clark, who “immediately they saw me and said, ‘yeah, you’re a thrower’. I kind of wanted to try other stuff, but I just trusted in them.

“At first I just kept (the new sport) to myself. It was at that point where I was still in denial about my disability, I was still like, ‘I’ll come back and play basketball’.”

Acceptance was a gradual process but supported by Clark and fuelled by Oduwaiye’s unwavering faith, her sister’s prediction could well come true should she qualify for next summer’s Paralympics in Paris, with another world championships also on the horizon next spring.

Last month, Oduwaiye was a special guest at a conference organised by Urdd Gobaith Cymru and attended by 150 young women designed to inspire involvement in sport.

She is still getting used to the fact that she is now the athlete on TV, who someone might point to and tell a child, “that could be you”.

“I’m living the athlete lifestyle. I can still travel, I can still have team-mates, I can still travel the world. That’s what I always wanted to do,” she added.

“The fact that I get to be one of those faces is crazy to me. I’m representing me and I’m doing well. I’m going to be one of those faces that people see and are influenced by.

“I always knew I was destined for great things, it was just I didn’t know what I was destined to be great at.

“I thought it was basketball because that was working well, but little did I know that God closed one door and opened an even bigger one.”

Cameron Norrie has added a new coach to his team as he bids to regain form in 2024.

Australian Stephen Huss, who won the Wimbledon men’s doubles title with Wesley Moodie in 2005, will work alongside Norrie’s main coach Facundo Lugones.

The British number one struggled over the second half of the season, losing 12 of his 16 matches following a second-round exit at Wimbledon.

Norrie told the PA news agency: “It should be good. I’m doing 10 to 12 weeks with him, more the practice weeks, to help me, to help Facu and just to keep things fresh and to have a different eye.

“I don’t know him too well but I’ve heard a lot of good things about him, and I think he’ll be really good for the team in general.”

Norrie has worked with Argentinian Lugones, who he met while studying at Texas Christian University, for his entire professional career.

He has also had help from experienced Lawn Tennis Association coach James Trotman, who now works with Jack Draper, and his former TCU coach Devin Bowen but has decided to bring in someone permanent.

“It was kind of both of our idea but more so Facu,” said Norrie. “I think it’s key to keep it fresh with your coach. I travel so much with Facu. We’ve never had any issue with that but I think it’s good to have someone else.

“I had that already, I had James Trotman from the LTA and Devin Bowen still helping me, still doing weeks, but they couldn’t really give it enough time for me. I was asking a lot all the time, try to do weeks with Devin at TCU and having him fly but he’s busy with the school and then Trotters with Jack.

“So it was difficult but it should be good to have someone else. It doesn’t really change too much with Facu, he’s still going to do a lot of weeks and he still wants to come to every tournament, which is great to have such a driven coach like that.”

Norrie, meanwhile, is getting ready to begin his pre-season training this weekend by hiking into the snowy French mountains and staying in a campervan.

The 28-year-old, who is an ambassador for Lexus and drives the RZ electric car, admits he will be well outside his comfort zone but is looking forward to the challenge.

“We’re going with my fitness trainer and we’re going up this mountain, sleep in his camper,” said Norrie, who is based in Monte-Carlo.

“One night, then the next day we have this big hike in the snow. He wants to test me a little bit. I’ve never really seen the mountains there.

“I love walking but I’ve not done a really long hike before. I bought some new shoes this week to get ready for that. We looked at the weather and it was minus 12 so I’ve got a big jacket as well. We’re bringing some food, some tea, play some cards. It should be good.

“I think it’s his idea to just change my mind, maybe leave the phone and just go and be in nature, see the mountains. He tells me it’s not the easiest hike. Hopefully no injuries. Then Monday he’s killing me in the gym.”

Norrie will kick-off the new season at the United Cup in Australia beginning on December 29.

Jeriko Du Reponet justified his lofty reputation with a facile success on his rules debut at Newbury.

An impressive winner on his sole start in the Irish point-to-point field in the spring, the French-bred four-year-old was subsequently snapped up by JP McManus and sent to Nicky Henderson.

The Seven Barrows dogs had been barking his name even prior to a recent racecourse gallop at Newbury, while he was already prominent in ante-post lists for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March even before he jumped off for his competitive introduction in Berkshire.

Jeriko Du Reponet was the 4-11 favourite for the Coral Get Closer To The Action “National Hunt” Maiden Hurdle, a race Henderson has won six times in the last 10 years, with two McManus-owned stars in dual Champion Hurdle hero Buveur D’Air and the top-class Jonbon among those on the roll of honour.

Nico de Boinville had to chivvy the trainer’s latest candidate into the bridle on a couple of occasions in the home straight, but he was motionless after jumping the final flight upsides in front and soon eased three and a quarter lengths clear of the runner-up King William Rufus.

“It was quite straightforward, the main thing was to give him the experience as well. I thought he was very genuine, it rode like an okay race and he’s gone through it well,” De Boinville told Racing TV.

“There was a bit of a tight gap, which it was good that he came through, and once he’s got through that he’s come back on the bridle.

“He’ll obviously come on for the run, he had a nice piece of work here about 10 days ago and he’s a very good-looking horse.”

Paddy Power make Jeriko Du Reponet an 8-1 shot for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, while Unibet were even more impressed and offer just 4-1 for the traditional Festival curtain-raiser.

Rafael Nadal will make his comeback following a year out at the Brisbane International later this month.

The 22-time grand slam champion has not played a competitive match since suffering a hip injury during his second-round defeat by Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open in January.

Having initially hoped the lay-off may only be a few weeks, Nadal admitted in May that he was staring at the end of his career and that he hoped to be able to play a final year on tour in 2024.

He had surgery in June and has been gradually building up to a return that he has now announced will be at the Brisbane International, a key warm-up event for the Australian Open, beginning on December 31.

In a video on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, Nadal said: “After a year away from competition, it’s time to come back. It will be in Brisbane the first week of January. I’ll see you there.”

The 37-year-old is currently ranked down at 663 having seen his 18-year stay in the top 10 end in March.

Brisbane will also mark the return of Naomi Osaka following the birth of her first child in July.

The Detroit Pistons have some positives to build off following their loss to the New York Knicks, but Monty Williams is not a fan of "moral victories".

Detroit went down 118-112 to the Knicks on Thursday, marking their 16th straight defeat. 

They are 2-17 for the season and the first team since the Philadelphia 76ers in 2015-16 to lose every game in a calendar month.

Williams saw some bright sparks from his team, though he is looking for actual wins rather than moral boosts.

"I saw the fight and resiliency that we can build on," Williams said. "That's a game that we can build on.

"I'm not into moral victories. I don't know where that came from. Doesn't make sense.

"But that was something - that game, that output, that energy, production from our group - [that] is something that I'm proud of.

"That's the kind of competitive edge that we have to play with every single night.

"When you lose this many games, you got to make changes. We're not going to leave any stone unturned. We're going to look at every lineup possible to give ourselves a chance to win games and grow as a team.

"And so there may be more changes. We're just going to do everything we can to put the guys in the position to win."

Cade Cunningham echoed Williams' thoughts, adding: "Yeah, I think it's something we could definitely build off of. That's got to be our baseline, our minimum, and we can build off of that."

Baroness Harding is in line to become the first woman in the Jockey Club’s 273-year history to be appointed as senior steward.

The role is currently held by Sandy Dudgeon, but when his term expires in July, Harding is poised to take over the unpaid position chairing the Jockey Club’s main board, which sets the strategic direction of the organisation and oversees the executive functions.

Harding was appointed to the board of stewards in 2017 and it is understood she is the only name that will be put to a vote by Jockey Club members later this month.

A spokesperson for the Jockey Club – which owns high-profile racecourses such as Epsom, Newmarket, Cheltenham and Aintree – said: “Sandy Dudgeon’s term as senior steward runs until July 2024 and we will announce his successor in due course.”

Dido Harding, who is a former chief executive of TalkTalk and initially oversaw the Government’s test-and-trace programme during the coronavirus pandemic, rode more than 25 winners as an amateur jockey and owned 1998 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Cool Dawn, the horse she had ridden the previous year to finish second in the Festival hunter chase.

She more recently won the Magnolia Cup in 2017, winning Goodwood’s charity race at the third attempt having previously finished second twice.

Australia’s Min Woo Lee produced a spectacular finish to claim a three-shot lead in the ISPS Handa Australian Open as he pursues a memorable double on home soil.

Lee, who won the Australian PGA Championship last week, carded a superb 64 at The Australian Golf Club, covering his last eight holes in six under par to get to 12 under.

The 25-year-old birdied the 11th, 12th, 14th and 16th before ending his round in style with an eagle on the last, hitting a 190-yard nine iron from the pine straw under a tree to within two feet of the pin.

“[I was] a bit lucky off the tee shot on 18,” Lee admitted. “I pulled it, but I smoked it, so I knew I had a chance of carrying that bunker.

“Ended up in the nice pine straw out there and had a really good number for a nine iron, like a really big nine iron and I’ve been hitting draws all week and it kind of sat up really nicely.

“I saw the coverage and it spun left towards the hole and nearly actually went in, so really happy with that finish. It’s always nice to make an eagle whenever, but on the last hole it’s even nicer.”

Scotland’s Connor Syme and American Patrick Rodgers are Lee’s nearest challengers on nine under par after both added rounds of 70 to their opening 64s.

The ISPS Handa Australian Open brings together three separate competitions, with the men’s and women’s events and the Australian All Abilities Championship being contested at the same time.

In the women’s event, 2013 champion Jiyai Shin holds a two-shot lead over defending champion Ashleigh Buhai, while Ireland’s Brendan Lawlor shares the lead with home favourites Cameron Pollard and Lachlan Wood in the All Abilities Championship on one over.

“To be honest, this is number one for me on my schedule,” Lawlor, who won the inaugural G4D Open at Woburn earlier this year, said.

“It’s a fully inclusive event. We’re playing at the very same times as the main guys. We have full access to player lounges, practice rounds and whatever we want.

“When the guys market all abilities, all inclusive, that’s exactly what it is and it’s a joy for me to come back here.”