Shane Lowry is “not surprised by anything” in golf after Jon Rahm’s move to LIV Golf but remains hopeful the men’s game can unite in the future.

The start of the Saudi-backed league in 2022 sent shockwaves through the sport, with the likes of Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Sergio Garcia all leaving the PGA Tour to compete in LIV’s 54-hole, limited-field events.

Rahm had been a staunch supporter of the PGA Tour and while June’s framework agreement between the American circuit, the DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund – which bankrolls LIV – was hoped to bring the game back together, many players were publicly critical of the secretive nature of negotiations which led to the agreement.

Rahm’s move earlier this month was the latest chapter in a tumultuous period for the game and Lowry admits nothing surprises him anymore.

“We weren’t too surprised in the end, but I’m not surprised by anything that happens at the minute,” Lowry told reporters at the launch of the Irish Open.

“It had been rumoured for a while so there’s no smoke without fire, is there?”

After his switch, Rahm spoke of his hope that he would be able to continue to play across tours, a hope shared by his European Ryder Cup team-mate from 2021 and September’s 16.6-11.5 win over the United States.

“Hopeful is the word I’d use,” added Lowry.

“I mean, I’m not involved in anything. I just try to worry about my own thing and get on with my own game.

“But I’d be very hopeful that at some stage in the near future we will be back playing the same tournaments together and I think that’s what the world of golf needs.”

Will Stuart hopes involvement in Bath’s resurgence this season can help in his quest to become England’s first-choice tighthead prop.

The 27-year-old was delighted to go to a first World Cup earlier this year but frustrated at starting just one match at the showpiece in France – the Bronze Medal victory over Argentina – and being left out of the 23-man pool entirely for the knockout clashes against Fiji and South Africa.

As he enters what he hopes will be his peak years, Stuart is determined to stake a strong claim to take over from 36-year-old Dan Cole and become England’s established number three in time for the next World Cup in Australia in 2027.

The former Wasps forward – who has won 33 caps since his debut against France in the 2020 Six Nations – threw himself straight back into club rugby after the World Cup and has helped Bath make a strong start in both the Gallagher Premiership and the Investec Champions Cup.

“Every player wants to play in a World Cup and the next one in Australia is a massive goal for me,” Stuart told the PA news agency.

“If my career ended now, I’d say ‘I achieved a little bit, I won a few caps for England and played at a World Cup’ but realistically I haven’t won silverware, I haven’t played in multiple World Cups and I haven’t really solidified myself as a starting tighthead for England, so there’s a lot I aspire to do.

“I played in three of the group games (as a substitute) and then missed out on the quarters and semis, which was a frustration.

“But it’s been pretty clear from chatting with the coaches what my work-ons are and what I need to do to be a first-choice tighthead for England.

“If I’m playing well for Bath and can contribute to a winning team, that falls into giving myself a good opportunity to push on with England as well.”

In addition to his own form, Stuart’s bid to establish himself for England will be influenced by how long veteran Leicester tighthead Cole can soldier on.

“The way Coley plays, I reckon he could play until he’s 54,” joked the Bath forward. “He’s great, he was great for me during the World Cup and it’s impressive that he’s still playing at that level at 36.

“He’s on 107 caps for England and played 300-plus games for Leicester and he’s been starting and playing 70-odd minutes for the majority of that so he’s a good person to look up to.”

With the Six Nations looming in the new year, Stuart feels England have huge potential for further growth under Steve Borthwick after defying pre-tournament scepticism to reach the World Cup semi-finals.

“I think we were written off a lot during the World Cup,” said Stuart.

“Draw-wise we probably had an easier route to the quarters but we ended up taking South Africa to one point in the semi-final and until the last 20 minutes we were all over them, so I think that is something to massively build on.

“Including the Six Nations and the lead-up to the World Cup, the coaching group probably only had about a six-month period to really work with the team and, with that in mind, we had a way of playing where we knew we could basically get to knockout rugby.

“When we got to that stage, it was always going to be fine margins and we were one point away from the final.

“I think the coaches have been very clear on the areas where we can push on and make massive strides to get back to where England have been in the past.”

Ross Smith was stung by a wasp on stage at the World Championship after avoiding second-round pain to Niels Zonneveld.

Number 16 seed Smith eased to a 3-1 victory over Zonneveld before running into problems at Alexandra Palace.

“There’s the wasp,” Smith said in his post-match Sky Sports interview as he noticed the insect.

The Englishman then recoiled in pain and said: “He’s just stung me like a good one. Little bugger.”

Smith, a prolific maximum hitter, was below his best but still produced seven 180s and the second 170 checkout of the tournament to see off plucky Dutchman Zonnevald.

“It wasn’t a great game and I didn’t play nowhere near what I can,” said Smith. “But I can enjoy my turkey and pigs in blankets now.

“I tried to get some fire in my belly, but it was really difficult. I was a bit nervy the last couple of days, everyone is because you just want to get through.

“I will relax now and hopefully be better after Christmas.”

Exeter debutant Owen Bates lost a two-set lead as Ireland’s Steve Lennon fought back to win 3-2.

Lennon won nine of the last 11 legs against the 21-year-old crowd favourite to claim the win needed to retain his PDC Tour card.

“I don’t know how I won that,” said Lennon. “I was panicking deep down, it’s a massive win.”

Bates had qualified through the PDC Challenge Tour and emerged with huge credit from a pulsating contest, hitting five 180s and producing 101 and 108 second-set checkouts.

But Bates missed five doubles for a 2-1 lead in the fourth set as Lennon, who hit six maximums, grew stronger and booked a second-round meeting with Welshman Jonny Clayton.

Lennon’s compatriot William O’Connor had a far more comfortable time with a 3-0 victory over Bhav Patel.

The Indian left-hander was close to a 157 finish but he failed to win a single leg and the impressive O’Connor – who hit 64 per cent of his doubles and averaged 98.74 – will play Chris Dobey next.

Poland’s Cork-based Radek Szaganski took to the stage on his Alexandra Palace debut wearing the colours of the Irish flag.

Szaganski overcame Finland’s Marko Kantele 3-2 with a final set 142 checkout helping him through to a second-round clash with five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld.

Ross Smith was stung by a wasp on stage at the World Championship after avoiding second-round pain to Niels Zonneveld.

Number 16 seed Smith eased to a 3-1 victory over Zonneveld before running into problems at Alexandra Palace.

“There’s the wasp,” Smith said in his post-match Sky Sports interview as he noticed the insect.

The Englishman then recoiled in pain and said: “He’s just stung me like a good one. Little bugger.”

Smith, a prolific maximum hitter, was below his best but still produced seven 180s and the second 170 checkout of the tournament to see off plucky Dutchman Zonnevald.

“It wasn’t a great game and I didn’t play nowhere near what I can,” said Smith. “But I can enjoy my turkey and pigs in blankets now.

“I tried to get some fire in my belly, but it was really difficult. I was a bit nervy the last couple of days, everyone is because you just want to get through.

“I will relax now and hopefully be better after Christmas.”

Exeter debutant Owen Bates lost a two-set lead as Ireland’s Steve Lennon fought back to win 3-2.

Lennon won nine of the last 11 legs against the 21-year-old crowd favourite to claim the win needed to retain his PDC Tour card.

“I don’t know how I won that,” said Lennon. “I was panicking deep down, it’s a massive win.”

Bates had qualified through the PDC Challenge Tour and emerged with huge credit from a pulsating contest, hitting five 180s and producing 101 and 108 second-set checkouts.

But Bates missed five doubles for a 2-1 lead in the fourth set as Lennon, who hit six maximums, grew stronger and booked a second-round meeting with Welshman Jonny Clayton.

Lennon’s compatriot William O’Connor had a far more comfortable time with a 3-0 victory over Bhav Patel.

The Indian left-hander was close to a 157 finish but he failed to win a single leg and the impressive O’Connor – who hit 64 per cent of his doubles and averaged 98.74 – will play Chris Dobey next.

Poland’s Cork-based Radek Szaganski took to the stage on his Alexandra Palace debut wearing the colours of the Irish flag.

Szaganski overcame Finland’s Marko Kantele 3-2 with a final set 142 checkout helping him through to a second-round clash with five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld.

Stage Star will seek more Cheltenham glory when he returns to the scene of some of his finest triumphs on New Year’s Day.

Connections did have the option of Leopardstown’s Savills Chase for a festive outing, with Lingfield’s £165,000 Fleur de Lys Chase at the end of January another possibility ahead of a tilt at the Ryanair in the spring.

However, the decision has been made for the Paul Nicholls-trained seven-year-old to kick off 2024 back at Prestbury Park – the place where he supplemented his Tutners Novices’ Chase win at the Cheltenham Festival with a thrilling Paddy Power Gold Cup victory on reappearance.

He lumped a hefty burden to success on that occasion and will be tasked with a similar weight-carrying assignment when lining-up in the Paddy Power New Year’s Day Handicap Chase worth £100,000.

“We decided against Ireland in the end and we’re going to run him at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day in the handicap,” said Owners Group’s Dan Downie.

“He will carry top-weight obviously, but it is a trip we know he operates over and a track he loves. It means we don’t have to travel all the way over there (to Ireland) and we thought it made sense.”

The Owners Group could also seek a valuable handicap pot with their former Triumph Hurdle champion Pentland Hills, who made an encouraging reappearance at Doncaster on Saturday when finishing second.

Nicky Henderson’s eight-year-old could now be set for a second crack at Kempton’s Lanzarote Hurdle having pulled-up in the race when out of sorts last season.

“He’s come out of the race well and we’re happy with him,” continued Downie.

“Nicky has actually been really happy with him this season and we have no firm plans, but we will probably have the Lanzarote in our minds as a possible target for him.

“He just wasn’t in any sort of form last year. He didn’t take to chasing and then it is always difficult to come back and the ground was pretty awful. I think you can draw a line through last season.”

Pink Legend caused a minor surprise when beating odds-on favourite Galia Des Liteaux in the Make Your Best Bet At BetVictor Mares’ Chase at Newbury.

Trained by Venetia Williams, the nine-year-old put a disappointing display at Aintree on her seasonal return well behind her with a fine round of jumping under the excellent Charlie Deutsch.

She looked to face a tall task against Dan Skelton’s 2-5 favourite, a good winner at Market Rasen last time out, but Deutsch took the race by the scruff of the neck at halfway and dictated matters thereafter.

She was there to be shot at over the final two fences but two more accurate leaps meant both the favourite and Rose Of Arcadia could never quite get on terms, with Pink Legend winning by a length and three-quarters.

Winning owner-breeder Francis Mahon explained he had planned to be breeding from her by now, but the intervention of his trainer meant she stayed in training.

“She shouldn’t really be in training but it’s down to Venetia that she’s won another four races,” said Mahon.

“About 18 months ago I started to think she was a nice breeding prospect, she’d been second in the Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham (to Elimay) but Venetia said ‘why would you want to retire a horse who is running as well as she ever has?’.

“She got her way and since then she’s won four races and been placed again in the Mares’ Chase (third to Impervious). I think we might go for the Lady Protectress (at Huntingdon) next, she’s won that before, and then Cheltenham again.

“With Charlie now, every time he rides something I think he’s going to win, especially on a steeplechaser.

“She’s won over two miles so when it turned into a bit of a sprint, I thought we were always going to win and she never touched a twig.”

Mahon is hoping for a notable double as Pink Legend’s full sister Eleanor Bob runs in the Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock on Saturday.

He told Racing TV: “On Saturday Eleanor Bob has a nice, low weight at Haydock and she’ll love the heavy ground, she’s a full sister to Pink Legend.”

Gidleigh Park enhanced his growing reputation with a stylish performance in the BetVictor EBF Stallions ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle.

Harry Fry’s imposing five-year-old arrived in Berkshire having won a bumper and a novice hurdle and was sent off the evens favourite, despite facing some similarly promising individuals.

A little keen in the early stages, Johnny Burke was eager to keep a lid on his mount before the race began in earnest, but he was always travelling strongly and won by nine lengths from Fire Flyer.

Paddy Power cut the winner to 14-1 from 25s for the Ballymore at Cheltenham in March.

Fry said: “This was a step up in trip and Johnny said he was a little bit keen and landed flat footed at a couple down the backm but as the race developed he got better.

“He’s a lovely young horse going the right way. His form keeps working out well and all being well we’ll go to Cheltenham on Trials Day for the Grade Two novice hurdle there.

“This was just his second start (over hurdles). The Challow is in 10 days but I just felt we needed to take it one step at a time.”

Burke doubled up on Anthony Honeyball’s Park Princess (2-1 favourite) in the bumper.

Brave Kingdom (15-8) took his record under rules to five wins from just six outings with a battling display in the JM Finn Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.

Trained by Paul Nicholls, he lost his unbeaten record in a Grade Two novice hurdle at Sandown in December 2021 and while he regained the winning thread back in calmer waters, was forced to miss the whole of last season through injury.

He reappeared with a win at Plumpton and followed up when seeing off Pulling Stumps by a length and three-quarters.

Winning rider Harry Cobden said: “I was always confident I’d get there because it’s very tiring ground and a very long straight.

“Horses like him that have had such a lay off can bounce on their second run, but he was relaxed today and I feel like this could be quite a smart horse, when I pulled him out he picked up nicely and there’s a nice handicap in him somewhere.”

Dan Skelton’s Etalon (3-1 joint-favourite) and Jonjo O’Neill’s Fortunate Man (9-1) were other impressive winners on the card.

Rossa Ryan rode his 200th winner of the year at Lingfield on Wednesday where he partnered a double.

Ryan, who celebrated the first Group One success of his career in the July Cup on Shaquille, joined an elite list in doing so with the likes of Sir Gordon Richards, Pat Eddery, Frankie Dettori and Kieren Fallon among those to have previously achieved the feat.

He won the Find More Big Deals At BetUK Handicap on Ninth Life (11-4 favourite) for Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole and then quickly followed up on John Jenkins’ Sunset In Paris (3-1) in the Always Gamble Responsibly With BetUK Handicap.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself really, even though a couple of little things haven’t worked. We’ve had plenty of winners the last couple of weeks but there were a couple I thought maybe if I’d done something different, it may have been a different result,” Ryan told Sky Sports Racing.

“It’s a big weight off my shoulders really, because I haven’t planned any of this. It was only when we came back from the November break I was 16 away from it and while my agent didn’t let on, he just hinted and some of the older jockeys told me to go for it and they’ve been a great help.

“Ed Dunlop said to me the other day to come back after Christmas and make sure I get it done and that I might not be in this position again. Luckily we got it done before Christmas, so I’m very pleased.

“It’s been a season of dreams really. The season is very long, especially because I started in January, but when you are popping in winners it helps.

“I’m still pinching myself I’ve hit 200, finished third in the championship and rode a Group One winner. I don’t know how to sum up in one word what to say, I can only thank all my trainers and owners and my agent – and my girlfriend who puts up with all my mess!

“When I passed 150 I never thought about getting 200, so I’m speechless really.”

Steve Kerr lauded Stephen Curry's "magical" performance as the two-time NBA MVP propelled the Golden State Warriors to victory over the Boston Celtics.

Curry, whose NBA record of 268 successive games with a successful 3-pointer came to an end in the Warriors' previous outing, was on fire as Kerr's team saw off Boston 132-126 in overtime on Tuesday.

The 35-year-old had 33 points, with seven of those coming in overtime, nailed a brilliant 3-pointer with 12 seconds remaining to inspire the Warriors to victory.

Klay Thompson chipped in with 24 points, Jonathan Kuminga added 17 and Trayce Jackson-Davis contributed 10 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, but the plaudits went to Curry.

"Nothing shocks me with Steph, that shot was insane, the catch-and-shoot, the arc," Kerr said.

"But I fully expected it to go in, and I think all of our fans did, too. The guy's magical.

"I can't explain it. That's just the kind of stuff he does."

Rookie Jackson-Davis said of Curry's shot: "It was a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow."

Curry, though, credited the work of Kuminga and Jackson-Davis down the stretch.

"Trayce's two blocks he had, you feel the crowd get into it, everybody hyped up. Then JK's steel in the first minute of OT," Curry said. "I was feeding off the crowd's energy and those guys created that with those individual plays.

"Everybody with significant minutes contributed in some way, shape or form. It was a gutsy win, to say the least."

The Warriors have now won their last three games, moving to 13-14 for the season, a game behind the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference.

Boston remain top of the East, but they have suffered three successive road defeats.

Nick Alexander enjoyed another memorable afternoon at one of his “lucky” tracks as he saddled four of the seven winners at Ayr on Wednesday.

The Kinneston handler is a regular visitor to the winner’s circle at the Scottish venue and has trained more winners at Ayr than at any course across the length and breadth of Britain.

He made a flying start to the track’s latest fixture, with point-to-point recruit Ozzy Cosmo (14-1) making a successful debut under rules under Bruce Lynn in the curtain-raising novices’ hurdle, a victory which set the tone for a profitable day.

“I hoped they would run well, but I thought the ground might be a bit soft to be honest. It’s very good of them to put on an extra fixture and I’m delighted,” said Alexander.

“I had a five-timer at Ayr once and it seems to be a lucky racecourse for us. I just love bringing horses here because it’s a such a big, fair track and it is reasonably local to us.

“I’m over the moon really, the day couldn’t have gone better.”

Following Ozzy Cosmo’s success, Alexander swiftly doubled up with 9-1 shot Beat The Retreat, whose rider Danny McMenamin also steered the trainer’s Cream Of The West (9-2) to victory later on the card.

The four-timer was completed by the Sean Quinlan-ridden Artic Row, who obliged at 2-1 in the penultimate race.

Alexander added: “Ozzy Cosmo is a very nice and we just hoped he’d run well. It wasn’t the deepest novice and he’s won it nicely. He’s going to be a three-mile chaser if he’s lucky, so we’re delighted he’s been able to win over two miles over hurdles.

“Beat The Retreat was a little disappointing last time, but it was very deep ground at Kelso that day and it was two-mile-six, whereas today he was back to two-mile-two on slightly better ground.

“The form of Cream Of The West’s last race at Hexham (finished third) has worked out very well, so we were delighted to see him get off the mark, and Artic Row has improved for the step up in trip and fences, which is great.

“They were all sort of entitled to win if everything fell right, but I thought we were going to have a winner or two at Musselburgh earlier in the week and we were nowhere near it, so it’s swings and roundabouts.”

Ja Morant is simply excited to be back on the court after he starred for the Memphis Grizzlies following the end of his eight-month absence from basketball.

Morant received a 25-game suspension from the NBA for conduct detrimental to the league back in June.

The two-time All-Star was banned for showing a firearm on social media, just three months after a similar offence.

However, Morant returned in style on Tuesday, finishing with 34 points, six rebounds and eight assists as the Grizzlies beat the New Orleans Pelicans 115-113.

"I've been putting work in, man. I ain't played a game in eight months," said Morant, whose buzzer-beater won the game.

"I had a lot of time to learn myself. A lot of hard days where I went through it. But you know, basketball is my life, what I love, [it's] therapeutic for me. I'm just excited to be back.

"I've been working hard, but there's nothing like NBA basketball. I just had to lock in and push through; pretty much my life, you know, just continuing to push, no matter what."

Reflecting on his time away from the game, Morant added: "[My support system] showed me a lot of support. 

"They got on my a** a little bit, too. I felt like it was needed, not only during this process for me, but them as well to obviously learn from me.

"A lot of us make mistakes. I can see how [the situation] changed them as well. I don't wish it happened, but it definitely took me, my family, my team to the next level."

Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins simply wanted Morant to enjoy the moment.

"My one expectation was for him to have fun," he said.

"That's how you want Ja to play, is play fast and free with the dynamic abilities."

The Grizzlies, who went 6-19 in the 25 games without Morant, snapped a five-game losing streak. They host the Indiana Pacers on Thursday.

Nicky Richards is on weather watch with Florida Dreams ahead of a possible tilt at top honours in Aintree’s William Hill Formby Novices’ Hurdle on Boxing Day.

If given the go-ahead for the newly-created festive Grade One, it would mean a return to the scene of the five-year-old’s finest hour, and the place where he kept on gamely to land the Grade Two bumper that concludes the Grand National Festival in the spring.

Since then, the Jimmy Fyffe-owned gelding tasted defeat on his hurdling bow at Ayr, but the Greystoke handler had his charge firing on all cylinders when returning to the Scottish venue to open his account over obstacles earlier this month.

On that occasion, he reeled in David Pipe’s Phantomofthepoints to score by a neck and Richards believes that could turn out to be a smart piece of form.

He said: “The plan is to go to Aintree and I hope they have a dry week. If it does get too soft, he probably won’t go, but we’ll see how the week goes with the weather and take it from there.

“Hopefully, it (the bumper) won’t be the last Graded race he wins and the journey is only beginning with him – I’m quite sure he is going to make into a very good horse.

“He got the job done (at Ayr) and I would say there is no doubt David Pipe’s horse is probably not a bad horse as well. We will find out in the future, but my lad is a horse with a lot of ability and I hope he goes on to prove it.”

The Aintree race, which was formerly run as the Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown, has attracted a strong cast of 14 entries, with Gordon Elliott’s Royal Bond scorer Farren Glory a notable name that could be given a raiding mission.

Only a nose separated Nicky Henderson’s Jango Baie and Ben Pauling’s Tellherthename when they clashed at Ascot and, with the latter impressing subsequently, connections will be eyeing turning the tables in this Grade One event.

Fergal O’Brien’s Kamsinas will look to supplement his Haydock Grade Two victory with a perfect Christmas present up at the highest level, while Chepstow scorer Jackpot D’Athou could represent champion trainer Paul Nicholls.

Favour And Fortune has appeared a classy operator and is now deemed ready for the next level by Alan King, with Paul Robson keen to gauge Cannock Park’s true ability after a taking success at Cheltenham in November.

A continental feel to the race is added by French challenger July Flower, with the four-year-old set to represent trainer Mickael Seror.

Nicky Henderson is looking forward to putting a frustrating period behind him by belatedly taking the wraps off Constitution Hill and Shishkin at Kempton on Boxing Day.

The superstar duo have not been seen in competitive action so far this season and, not for the first time, the Seven Barrows handler has drawn criticism from some quarters for his cautious approach.

There have, though, been extenuating circumstances on both counts, with Constitution Hill’s intended defence of the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle scuppered by the weather, and Shishkin even getting to the start of Ascot’s 1965 Chase, only to dig his heels in and refuse to jump off with the other runners.

Henderson subsequently entered and declared his top-class pair for a rescheduled Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Sandown – and while the decision to withdraw both on account of testing conditions left many disappointed, the trainer insists with Constitution Hill in particular, it was a straightforward call.

“You couldn’t run at Sandown and Kempton. It was physically not possible,” Henderson said at a media morning at his yard on Tuesday.

“You knew straight away you were going to have to sacrifice one race for the other and we decided we would stick to the original plan.

“I wasn’t going to put him in at Sandown until the very last minute. I had already said to Michael (Buckley, owner) ‘I don’t think this will work’, but he said ‘let’s see’.

“You could not have possibly run in both races and that is what some people fail to understand. That is the only thing I find frustrating.

“Of course, it is frustrating when you drag him all the way to Newcastle and back again. That was bad luck. That was the original plan and that is where he would have been, and we would have been on the same leg as last year – unfortunately, we are not.”

While Constitution Hill’s preparation for a bid to claim back-to-back Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle wins has not gone entirely to plan, Henderson is confident the lack of a recent run will not be a hindrance.

He is, though, keen to see how the six-year-old performs before considering plans beyond Christmas.

Henderson added: “He was ready for Newcastle, and he is ready for Kempton.

“We have got to get out there and he has got to go through the motions. He has got to be as good as he ever was at Kempton, then we can look forward.

“He could go to Kempton, then Cheltenham for the International Hurdle, which they have stuck in on Trials Day, then Cheltenham (for the Champion Hurdle) and then Aintree.

“He won’t go to Ireland then (for the Dublin Racing Festival), definitely not, but I won’t look forward until Kempton is over.”

While much is made of Constitution Hill’s apparently bombproof temperament, the same cannot be said at this stage of his stablemate Shishkin following his much publicised refusal in Berkshire last month.

Henderson, however, insists that while the nine-year-old has his quirks, his behaviour tends to improve as the season progresses.

He said: “Constitution Hill is the A, B, C of training horses and you point him in the right direction. He is very straightforward, as he has got a very good temperament.

“Shishkin is very straightforward, but the early part of the season with him is probably the most difficult. That was a bit to do with what happened at Ascot.

“When he is fresh, he is a bit of a plonker! I sent him to Zara Tindall to go and do some work with her. It was good condition and dressage work to get some manners on him and get the basics done. I think he really enjoyed it.

“He doesn’t enjoy that bit here early on and I don’t know why. He can be stroppy. Once he has had a run, he is completely the opposite. He is putty in our hands.”

As a six-time Grade One and dual Cheltenham Festival winner, Shishkin’s raw ability is not in question, but Henderson feels he faces an almighty task to win the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase on what will ultimately be his first start since impressing at Aintree in the spring.

“I’ve been saying all along I don’t see how you can win a King George without a race and the answer is you can’t. On the other hand, we have got nowhere else to go, as there isn’t another race until the Cotswold Chase,” Henderson went on.

“If I ran him at Sandown in the Fighting Fifth, I would have bottomed him and he wouldn’t go to the King George, so therefore I had to take him home and run him straight in.

“He has been going, for him, really well, and his schooling the other morning was fantastic. I’m not going to sit here and tell you he can win a King George, but I do think he can run very well.

“The trouble with Kempton is that some people think it is an easy three miles because it is flat and fast and there are no hills, but there isn’t a place where they can take a blow or have a breather. You jump, jump, jump, then go flat out around a bend, then go jump, jump, jump. It is all go, go, go.

“We have got to have a go, as we have no other option. We have got to Christmas and he hasn’t had a run, but that is not his fault and I don’t think it is mine either, as we have been trying.”

On his plans to try to avoid a repeat of his Ascot antics, the trainer added: “George (Daly) will go down to the start with him, as he knows him really well.

“We can’t do anything. Charlie Brooks mentioned a hunting horn, but Barney (Clifford, clerk of the course) won’t let me get up a tree and blow it!”

Allaho, Gerri Colombe and last year’s winner Bravemansgame are among eight confirmations for the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Willie Mullins sprang a surprise in the race two years ago with Tornado Flyer but that was his first triumph in the race since Florida Pearl in 2001 and in Allaho he has strong claims of a second success in three years.

A dual Ryanair Chase winner, Allaho was being aimed at the three-mile contest last year but picked up an injury which ruled him out of the whole campaign. He returned to action with a win in the Clonmel Oil Chase.

Gerri Colombe has only met with defeat once in his career, at last season’s Cheltenham Festival behind The Real Whacker, and the two are on course to clash again.

Only a short head separated them there but their fortunes have differed wildly since, with Gerri Colombe winning two Grade Ones at Aintree and Down Royal, while The Real Whacker was pulled up in the Paddy Power Gold Cup – having struck into himself.

Paul Nicholls’ Bravemansgame has yet to win a race since his victory 12 months ago. He went out on his shield in the Cheltenham Gold Cup but has been surprisingly beaten in the Charlie Hall and Betfair Chase this season.

He will be joined by stable companion Frodon, winner of the race in 2020.

Shishkin is the unknown quantity in the field after refusing to start at Ascot recently. He proved his stamina for three miles at Aintree in the spring but the lack of a recent run is a concern for his trainer Nicky Henderson.

Shark Hanlon’s Hewick and Venetia Williams’ Royal Pagaille, winner of the Betfair Chase, complete the eight.

Constitution Hill will face a maximum of five rivals in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle.

The best National Hunt horse in training will be making his seasonal bow, with his intended comeback in the Fighting Fifth frozen off before Henderson deemed the ground too soft a week later when it was rearranged at Sandown.

His stablemate First Street, Black Poppy and Nemean Lion, both trained by Kerry Lee, Nicholls’ Rubaud and the veteran Sceau Royal are his only possible rivals.

The Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase is due to feature the UK debut of Il Est Francais, trained by Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm in France.

However, he faces far from an easy task, with Nicholls’ Hermes Allen, Gordon Elliott’s Imagine, the Mullins pair of Grangeclare West and Klassical Dream and Lucinda Russell’s Giovinco all potential rivals among nine entries.