Ben Pauling has the Formby Novices’ Hurdle in mind for the promising Tellherthename.
The four-year-old was a point to point winner who made his debut for the stable at Ascot in November, finishing second by just a nose when defeated by Nicky Henderson’s well-regarded Jango Baie.
His next outing was at Huntingdon for a two-mile maiden hurdle and there he was an impressive 14-length winner under Kielan Woods for owners the Megsons.
A step up in grade is now on the agenda as Pauling is aiming the gelding at the Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day, a Grade One contest that was formerly known at the Tolworth and run at Sandown.
“It would be very special to win this for the Megsons as they have never had a Grade One winner,” he said.
“It would be wonderful for everyone involved if we could get them their first Grade One winner, but I’m under no illusions and it is not going to be easy.
“There wasn’t really any frustration when he got beat first time out as our horses at the time were needing it so it was good to see him be so competitive against a horse that was highly regarded by Nicky Henderson in Jango Baie.
“We got beaten by a nose, and if we meet again here it would be interesting to see how we get on second time around, but I know how much our lad would have improved from that first run.
“He did what we expected at Huntingdon last time. At the time we thought it was an average enough race, but there was a couple in it with a bit of form.
“We sent him on from the front to try to keep it simple. He did it nicely and won very much with his head in his chest.
“That form has since been franked with the horse that finished second (Lucky Place) winning by 13 lengths up at Doncaster.
“It might not have been as bad a race as we first thought, but it was still good to see him do it in that manner.”
Tellherthename was purchased at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale and is a horse Pauling has thought highly of ever since he arrived in the yard.
He said: “He is a horse we have liked since we got him. He was a shell of a horse when we got him in March at the sale at the Cheltenham Festival.
“We sent him away and he has come in this season and his work has improved from the start. He looks to be a decent animal on the track.
“Since we really truly saw him work in the autumn he was a horse that took our eye at home and thankfully he has transferred that ability to the track.
“He is an exciting novice going forward and you have just got to hope that he jumps and travels and has a clear round at Aintree.”
Stephen Curry "flipped the switch" as the Golden State Warriors halted their slump with a 124-120 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday, with Steve Kerr admitting the two-time MVP had carried his team.
The Warriors approached their meeting with the Nets having suffered three straight defeats to slide to 10-14, while they also lost Draymond Green to an indefinite suspension this week following his third ejection of the season.
They then found themselves behind with just over nine minutes to play, but Curry scored 12 straight fourth-quarter points as he finished with 37, shooting seven-of-seven in the final period.
Klay Thompson added 24 points including two vital three-pointers in the closing stages, but for head coach Kerr, it was all about Curry's contribution.
"Steph has had to carry this team, let's be honest," Kerr said. "Then with the Draymond news, he was emotionally spent in the last few days.
"It was a slow start tonight. Then, as he's done so often, he flipped the switch. You can kind of see when it happens right away. He was incredible.
"Steph was sublime down the stretch. That was unreal. We've seen him do this over and over again but it never ceases to amaze me, what that guy is capable of."
Looking back on Curry's explosive finish to the game, Kerr added: "That gave us confidence.
"I think that's the biggest issue when you're struggling, maybe you're a little spent. You have to find confidence. So I think Steph just infuses us with confidence."
Curry's performance came after the four-time NBA champion emerged for his warmup around two hours before tipoff, around 45 minutes earlier than his usual warm-up slot.
The 35-year-old said that was to ensure he had time to find his groove, while refusing to take all the credit for the Warriors' much-needed win.
"It was just a call of trying to get some space before the game, a little more time to get right, and it paid off," Curry said.
"It's not just me. I can't go win a game by myself. I can play well, and I have to play well. I know that. But I don't [play] the game by myself.
"There's definitely pressure and I live for those moments, but there are guys getting opportunities to step up. Confidence is starting to build."
Maximilian, one of last season’s leading novice hurdlers, will miss the entirety of the current campaign due to injury.
The seven-year-old has won five of his seven starts to date for trainer Donald McCain and the Owners Group and was last seen finishing second in Grade One company at Aintree.
The form of that race could hardly have worked out better, with the winner Apple Away, third-placed Iroko and fourth home Stay Away Fay all making the mark over fences this term, and Maximilian himself was due to embark on a novice chasing campaign before injury intervened.
Connections had initially he hoped he would return to competitive action early in the new year, but have now had to draw stumps for the season.
“Unfortunately he won’t be back until next autumn,” said the owners’ racing manager Dan Downie.
“It’s obviously frustrating, but the main thing is he’ll be fine and it’s one of those things really.
“It would have been interesting to see how he got on, but hopefully we’ll have a much more positive conversation in a year’s time.”
Cheveley Park Stud director Richard Thompson is anticipating a busy Christmas for the team, with the majority of their formidable National squad set to be in action over the festive period.
Dual Ryanair and Punchestown Gold Cup hero Allaho will fly the Cheveley Park flag in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, while several horses look set to carry the famous red, white and blue colours across the four days of Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival.
A twin assault is being prepared for the Savills Chase on December 28, with stablemates A Plus Tard and Envoi Allen both confirmed as intended runners by trainer Henry de Bromhead earlier this week.
Thompson is particularly intrigued to see how A Plus Tard performs, with the nine-year-old having largely struggled since his sensational victory in the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup.
“I think Henry feels it’s the right race for both horses,” he said.
“A Plus Tard has run twice in the Savills, winning in 2021 and finishing second the following year, and Envoi is going there in decent form after finishing second at Down Royal.
“It will be fascinating to see how A Plus Tard runs. He seems to be in great form at home, but as everyone knows he has had issues since he won the Gold Cup.
“He hasn’t run since April and we will know a lot after December 28 in terms of what have we got on our hands – have we got the old A Plus Tard back, or are we having to look again at his career going forward?”
Other upcoming entries for Cheveley Park include familiar names like Quilixios, Sir Gerhard, Grangeclare West and Classic Getaway.
The latter pair are poised to have their sights raised after impressing on their seasonal debuts.
Thompson added: “I think the two to look out for are Grangeclare West and Classic Getaway – they’re both very interesting horses based on their last performances and it will be fascinating to see where they run and how they run.
“Quilixios was disappointing last time out and is a little bit in and out, but he did win the time before over fences.
“We’ve only got 14 (National Hunt) horses in training and I think 12 of them are entered over Christmas. It’s an important time of year obviously and there’s a bit of prize-money to picked up to hopefully pay a few bills!”
In a masterful display of skill and resilience, Jamaican-born UFC welterweight champion, Leon Edwards, successfully defended his title at UFC 296 on Saturday night, overcoming a tumultuous past and a barrage of distasteful remarks from his opponent, Colby Covington.
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, and later moving to Birmingham, England, Edwards' life was marred by tragedy and involvement in criminal activities. However, the 30-year-old fighter turned his life around at the age of 17 when he joined an MMA club, eventually climbing the ranks to become the welterweight champion.
Facing off against Colby Covington, a fighter notorious for his brash behavior, Edwards encountered a highly charged pre-fight atmosphere, with Covington crossing lines by using the death of Edwards' father as a psychological weapon. Despite the emotional turmoil, Edwards remained focused, delivering a performance that showcased not only his physical prowess but also his mental fortitude.
The grudge match lived up to its billing, with Edwards dominating the cage throughout the 25-minute contest. The judges unanimously scored the fight 49-46 in favor of the Briton, who controlled the pace with bruising leg kicks and superior striking.
In a post-fight interview, Edwards expressed the emotional weight of the bout, stating, “This fight was very emotional for me. This guy used my dad’s death as entertainment, and it took a lot for me to calm down and stay focused. To this day, it breaks my heart.”
Despite Covington's attempts at a comeback in the later rounds, Edwards maintained composure and control, leaving no room for doubt regarding the judges' decision. Edwards acknowledged his disappointment in not securing a stoppage win but commended Covington as a tough competitor while expressing disdain for his character.
The victory not only cements Leon Edwards' status as a dominant force in the welterweight division but also serves as a testament to his ability to rise above personal demons and external provocations. As the Jamaican-born fighter continues his journey, the UFC 296 triumph stands as a defining moment in his career, showcasing the heart of a champion who has overcome adversity to secure his place at the top of the mixed martial arts world.
Paul Nicholls has revealed that talented novice chaser Knappers Hill will miss his big festive target and is probably out for the season having suffered a setback.
The seven-year-old, who was unbeaten as a bumper horse before going on to score seven times as a hurdler, appeared set to take high-rank over fences this season following a thoroughly impressive victory at Wincanton in the “Rising Stars” Novices’ Chase.
He was due to contest the Grade One Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase on Boxing Day, but there is set to be a shuffling of the Ditcheat pack with fellow top novice operator Hermes Allen poised to skip an intended outing in Ascot’s Noel Novices’ Chase on Friday to fill Knappers Hill’s Kempton vacancy.
“I was going to run Knappers Hill in the Kauto Star, but sadly he’s had a little setback and we might end up missing the rest of the season with him,” Nicholls told Racing TV’s Luck On Sunday programme.
“It’s only minor, but I see him possibly as a horse who could run in the King George next season, so I think we need to stop and get him right.
“I’m going to reroute Hermes Allen to the Kauto Star now rather than go to Ascot this week, because I’d love to run him in a Grade One, especially over three miles.
“You play your cards and try to keep them all apart and then something like this happens, so Hermes will almost certainly go to Kempton on Boxing Day.”
Both Fil Dor and Caldwell Potter are due to be upped in trip after pleasing runs for Gordon Elliott and Caldwell Construction last weekend.
Fil Dor looked a good novice chase prospect last season when winning his debut over fences by four lengths from Saint Roi, but when he met the same horse in the Grade One Racing Post App Novice Chase at Leopardstown he made a jumping error and came home third behind him.
The incident seemed to knock his confidence and after finishing fifth to El Fabiolo in the Irish Arkle he reverted to hurdling and won the Grade Three Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park next time out.
This season he was back to give fences another go and in the Barberstown Castle Chase at Naas he looked to have regained his appetite for jumping when finishing second.
At Cork Fil Dor was then set a stiff task when taking on Arkle winner El Fabiolo in the Hilly Way but he was not disgraced when chasing the 1-5 favourite home to finish second by four and three-quarter lengths.
Connections were heartened by the run, especially as they feel their gelding will be better suited by an extended trip in the future.
Joey Logan, racing manager to owners Caldwell Construction, said: “We were very pleased with him, his jumping was very nice and his confidence is coming back.
“We ran him last year in a Grade One at Leopardstown and he landed on a fence and he lost his confidence. We gave him a break and Gordon’s done a great job of getting him back.
“We were very pleased with the run the other day, obviously we are going to step up to two and a half miles as two miles is a bit short for him, but we were delighted with that.
“We’ve done a good bit a schooling with him and we’re very happy with his jumping, we’re going to step him up now – that’s the plan.”
Of the next outing for the horse Logan added: “We’re not too sure yet, we’ll pick and choose.
“We’re not going to rush him as it’s all about confidence and he’s only five, we’ll speak to Gordon and make a plan for where we’re going to go next.”
The same silks were in the winner’s enclosure at Navan last Saturday as Caldwell Potter took a two-mile maiden hurdle by seven lengths on his second start over obstacles.
The five-year-old is a full-brother to Mighty Potter, Caldwell Construction and Elliott’s Grade One-winning novice chaser who looked set for a highly successful career before he was fatally injured in a fall at Fairyhouse in April.
Caldwell Potter has been patiently handled by Elliott, contesting four bumpers before making his hurdles debut when second in a Punchestown maiden last month.
Navan was his next outing and there he was an eyecatching winner, strolling to a wide-margin success on heavy ground under Jack Kennedy.
Like his late brother he is destined for greater tests of stamina and could be seen after the turn of the new year.
Logan said: “We’re very happy with him, he ran a cracker at Navan. He got a lot stronger over the summer and the further he goes, the better.
“The other day he was very good on testing ground at Navan, he’ll probably be a two-and-a-half-mile hurdler and we’re very happy.
“He puts his head down and he keeps going to the line.
“We’ll make a decision, it’s a bit tight but maybe between now and the new year. We might go to the Dublin Festival with him but we’ll see how things go.”
One horse with his place booked at the Leopardstown meeting over the festive period is Mighty Bandit, a three-year-old who made an impression on his racecourse debut when taking a Punchestown maiden hurdle by nine and a half lengths.
The form from that race has been boosted by the third-placed horse, Joseph O’Brien’s Harsh, who has since won a Cork maiden by eight lengths.
The Mercedes-Benz South Dublin Juvenile Hurdle, formerly the Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle, a Grade Two at Leopardstown, is next on the agenda for the gelding.
“He looks to be a very promising horse,” Logan said.
“He won nine lengths on his debut. He was a very raw, big baby – 16.3 (hands high). His form was boosted again by the horse he beat by nearly 10 lengths the other day.
“He looks to be very promising and we’re looking forward to running him in Leopardstown in the Grade Two.”
Keegan Murray poured in a career-high 47 points and made a franchise-record 12 3-pointers Saturday to power the Sacramento Kings to a 125-104 win over the Utah Jazz.
Murray shot 16 of 23 from the field and was 12 of 14 from long range while grabbing eight rebounds. His previous career high was 30 points set at Houston on Feb. 6.
The second-year forward sank 12 of his first 13 3-pointers and had Klay Thompson’s NBA record of 14 in his sights but missed his final two attempts. He became the seventh different player to make 12 or more 13 3s in a game.
Murray surpassed the previous team record of 11 3-pointers, set by Buddy Hield on Nov. 25, 2019, against Boston.
He also set a franchise record with 25 points in the third quarter, eclipsing Mitch Richmond’s record in the fourth quarter against Houston on Dec. 15, 1995.
Sacramento hit 22 of 45 from beyond the arc to win despite the absence of leading scorer De’Aaron Fox, who sat out with right shoulder irritation.
Domantas Sabonis had 20 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Kings.
Colin Sexton led the Jazz with 28 points.
Embiid shines again as 76ers pound Hornets
Joel Embiid continued his torrid stretch with 42 points and 15 rebounds and the surging Philadelphia 76ers dealt the short-handed Charlotte Hornets the worst loss in franchise history, 135-82 on Saturday.
Tyrese Maxey added 21 points for the 76ers, who have won six straight.
Embiid has averaged 40 points on 61.9 percent shooting and 12.8 rebounds during that six-game run.
Charlotte played without starters LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward and Mark Williams and two key reserves in P.J. Washington and Cody Martin. Top scorer Terry Rozier left in the third quarter after he caught an elbow to the nose.
Brandon Miller led the Hornets with 14 points on 4-of-16 shooting.
Charlotte’s previous largest loss was a 50-point defeat to Milwaukee on Jan. 10, 2000.
Pistons’ losing streak reaches 23
Damian Lillard scored 33 points and Bobby Portis added a season-high 31 as the Milwaukee Bucks had no trouble sending the Detroit Pistons to their 23rd straight loss, 146-114.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists in his first game since scoring a franchise-record 64 points Wednesday.
Cade Cunningham scored 25 points for the Pistons, who have matched the NBA’s third-longest single-season losing streak. The 1995-96 Vancouver Grizzlies, 1997-98 Denver Nuggets and 2011-12 Charlotte Bobcats also lost 23 in a row.
The 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers and 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers share the record for longest single season slide at 26 straight defeats.
Milwaukee never trailed, led by as many as 34 and matched its highest point total of the season despite resting Lillard and Antetokounmpo for the entire fourth quarter.
Vincent Trocheck scored his second goal of the game in overtime to lift the New York Rangers to a 2-1 victory over the Boston Bruins on Saturday in a matchup of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
Igor Shesterkin stopped 22 shots for the Rangers, who moved up to 43 points, tied with the Bruins for best in the East.
Trent Frederic had Boston’s lone goal and Jeremy Swayman made 31 saves as the Bruins picked up a point for the seventh time in eight games (5-1-2).
Boston leading scorer David Pastrnak was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for boarding Ryan Lingren in the second period.
Maple Leafs pound Penguins
Martin Jones made 38 saves and Max Domi had a goal and two assists to lead the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 7-0 drubbing of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Mitch Marner, William Nylander and Matthew Knies each had a goal and an assist and Tyler Bertuzzi set up three goals as Toronto extended its point streak to nine games (6-0-3).
Tristan Jarry was pulled early in the second period after allowing four goals on 14 shots. Alec Nedeljkovic stopped 18 of 21 shots the rest of the way.
Ersson shuts out Red Wings, keeps Flyers hot
Sameul Ersson turned aside 33 shots and Cam York scored the only goal to give the surprising Philadelphia Flyers a 1-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings.
Ersson stopped seven shots in the first period, 11 in the second and 15 more in the third for his third career shutout. He improved to 6-0-1 in his last seven games.
Philadelphia finished with just 75 points last season, but already has 37 in 30 games and has at least one in eight straight contests (6-0-2).
Detroit has lost five of its last six games (1-4-1).
Jared Goff threw the Detroit Lions to the brink of a long-awaited play-off berth as they eased past the Denver Broncos 42-17.
Goff threw five touchdowns, three of them to rookie tight end Sam LaPorta, as the Lions moved to 10-4 and a three-game lead in the NFC North.
They could clinch a place in the play-offs for the first time in seven years if other results go their way over the weekend.
The Broncos, who have waited a year longer for a play-off berth, dropped to 7-7 after six wins in seven games had pushed them into the post-season race.
The Cincinnati Bengals bolstered their play-off hopes as they came from behind to beat the Minnesota Vikings 27-24 in overtime.
Jake Browning, deputising for quarterback Joe Burrow, who is out for the season, steered them through three fourth-quarter touchdown drives as they came from 17-3 behind.
The final 21-yard touchdown pass to Tee Higgins in heavy traffic moved the Bengals within one point with 39 seconds left on the clock.
Evan McPherson levelled the scores with the extra point and secured a third straight win from 29 yards in overtime as they moved to 8-6.
AFC North rivals Pittsburgh Steelers continued their slide to the foot of the division as they lost for a third straight game, going down 30-13 to the Indianapolis Colts.
A Dontae Johnson touchdown catch from Mitch Trubisky had put the Steelers up 13-0 early in the second half, but Gardner Misher threw for three touchdowns as the Colts amassed 30 unanswered points.
A fifth win in six games lifts the Colts to 8-6 and within half a game of the AFC South leaders Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Cincinnati Bengals bolstered their play-off hopes as they came from behind to beat the Minnesota Vikings 27-24 in overtime.
Jake Browning, deputising for quarterback Joe Burrow who is out for the season, steered them through three fourth-quarter touchdown drives as they came from 17-3 behind.
The final 21-yard touchdown pass to Tee Higgins in heavy traffic moved the Bengals within one point with 39 seconds left on the clock.
Evan McPherson levelled the scores with the extra point and secured a third straight win from 29 yards in overtime as they moved to 8-6.
AFC North rivals Pittsburgh Steelers continued their slide to the foot of the division as they lost for a third straight game, going down 30-13 to the Indianapolis Colts.
A Dontae Johnson touchdown catch from Mitch Trubisky had put the Steelers up 13-0 early in the second half, but Gardner Misher threw for three touchdowns as the Colts amassed 30 unanswered points.
A fifth win in six games lifts the Colts to 8-6 and within half a game of the AFC South leaders Jacksonville Jaguars.
Gary Anderson began his quest for a third World Championship title in style with a handsome victory over Simon Whitlock.
The Scot, who won back-to-back crowns at Alexandra Palace in 2015 and 2016, has been looking back to his best this year after a lull and eased through to the third round with a 3-0 success over the Australian.
He set the tone with a 180 with his opening throw of the match and won the first five legs to take command.
Anderson, who averaged 98.29, saw it out in style, taking out 116 for the highest checkout of the match.
“The first set I played better, but I have known Simon a long, long time, he struggled up there,” the Scot said. “But happy with the win.
“I am trying to get back, I didn’t want to play darts in the last three years. I am enjoying it again, win or lose, I am enjoying it.”
Jamie Hughes was fighting back tears after finally breaking his Ally Pally duck.
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The world number 62 had lost his previous four matches on the big stage but put that right by beating David Cameron 3-1.
He said: “I am probably playing the worst I have ever played in my life and I have just won a game. I have played better and lost. I am so, so happy to finally get a win on that stage.
“Hopefully that has got the duck off my back and I can play my natural game.”
Dave Chisnall sent Cameron Menzies back to the day job after knocking him in the afternoon session.
Menzies had booked his place in the second round on Friday night after working a half-day as a plumber, having to fix a burst pipe and repair a kitchen sink.
He was back in action on Saturday afternoon, having at least had the morning off, but could not repeat the trick and 11th seed Chisnall came from a set down to win 3-1.
Menzies, who is hoping to make the transition to become a full-time darts player, will be back at the Palace on Sunday to support his girlfriend Fallon Sherrock, but his run at this year’s tournament is over.
Lee Evans reckons it would not be a major shock if he beats Luke Humphries in the second round.
The 35-year-old marked his Ally Pally debut with a 3-0 win over Sandro Eric Sosing to set up a date with his former playing partner Humphries, who is the favourite to win the tournament.
“What a draw. Good job I know him very well,” he said. “I know his game very well, he knows me. We played pairs years ago, played in the same teams, I will need to play my best game without a doubt,” Evans said.
“It is a free shot. If he goes to that A place, I think I have got the A place to match, but he is a level above everyone at the moment.
“I reckon I can push him close if I can play my best. If I beat Luke Humphries I think there will be bigger shocks. For me I don’t think it would be a shock. Everyone else might, but I wouldn’t.”
There were also first-round wins for Connor Scutt, Darren Penhall, Scott Williams and Keane Barry.
Joel Embiid "just wants to dominate" in every single game after he starred again for the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 76ers put the Detroit Pistons away with the minimum of fuss on Friday, winning 124-92.
Embiid, last season's NBA MVP, tallied up 35 points and added 13 rebounds as the Sixers recorded a second win over Detroit in the space of two days.
With that haul, Embiid became the first player to have 675 points and 200 rebounds across his first 20 games of a season since Wilt Chamberlain in the 1964-65 campaign.
"It's great to be in that class," Embiid said when that statistic was put to him after the game.
"I just want to dominate every single night."
Tyrese Maxey complimented Embiid with 19 points, and he said of his teammate: "He is getting better, which is scary.
"He made a layup today that I like to do where he made a Eurostep and laid it high off the glass. He's 7-foot-2 and he runs the floor at the same speed I do. It's scary."
Sixers coach Nick Nurse added: "You got to give our guys credit.
"They played hard and they made improvements defensively on the stuff we saw from the last game that we tried to work on the last couple days. Whoever hit the floor was out there trying to do the stuff we worked on and it paid off."
While Philadelphia have a quick turnaround as they face the Charlotte Hornets, the Pistons are licking their wounds after a franchise-record 22 straight losses.
Only four teams have lost more successive games in a single season.
"It's deflating," Detroit coach Monty Williams said. "It is what it is. It's a lot of repetitive games."
Tiger Woods and his son Charlie blamed poor putting after ending the first day of the PNC Championship seven shots off the lead.
The 15-time major winner and his 14-year-old son combined for an eight-under-par 64 in the scramble format as Matt Kuchar and his son Cameron made an eagle and 13 birdies in their 57.
“I drove the ball really good today,” Charlie Woods said.
“Didn’t miss a fairway and still managed to shoot eight under. We just suck at putting.”
“That sums it up right there,” added Tiger Woods, who also had his 16-year-old daughter Sam acting as his caddie.
“Sam was fantastic. This is the first time she’s ever done this, so it couldn’t have been any more special for all of us.
“For me to have both my kids inside the ropes like this and participating and playing and being part of the game of golf like this, it couldn’t have been more special for me.
“I know that we do this a lot at home, needle each other and have a great time. But it was more special to do it in a tournament like this.”
Dave Chisnall sent Cameron Menzies back to the day job after knocking him out of the World Championship on day two at Alexandra Palace.
Menzies had booked his place in the second round on Friday night after working a half-day as a plumber where he had to fix a burst pipe and repair a kitchen sink.
He was back in action on Saturday afternoon, having at least had the morning off, but could not repeat the trick and 11th seed Chisnall came from a set down to win 3-1 and give himself a happy Christmas.
Menzies, who is hoping to make the transition to become a full-time darts player, will be back at the Palace on Monday to support his girlfriend Fallon Sherrock, but his fun at this year’s tournament is over.
Lee Evans reckons it would not be a major shock if he beats Luke Humphries in the second round.
The 35-year-old marked his Ally Pally debut with a 3-0 win over Sandro Eric Sosing to set up a date with his former playing partner Humphries, who is the favourite to win the tournament.
“What a draw. Good job I know him very well,” he said. “I know his game very well, he knows me, we played pairs years ago, played in the same teams, I will need to play my best game without a doubt,” Evans said.
“It is a free shot. If he goes to that A place, I think I have got the A place to match but he is a level above everyone at the moment.
“I reckon I can push him close if I can play my best. If I beat Luke Humphries I think there will be bigger shocks. For me I don’t think it would be a shock, everyone else might, but I wouldn’t.”
Connor Scutt also enjoyed an impressive first outing at the home of darts as he beat Krzysztof Kciuk 3-0.
The Pole was playing his first World Championship match since 2010 and his first visit to the oche was a 180, but Scutt took control winning all three sets to arrange a second-round meeting with Gerwyn Price.
Darren Penhall beat American Jules van Dongen 3-1 in the other first-round match of the afternoon session.
Sa Fureur profited from the final fence exit of red-hot favourite Hunters Yarn to open his account over fences in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase at Fairyhouse.
The top-class pair of Blue Lord and El Fabiolo had landed the last two runnings of the extended two-mile contest for trainer Willie Mullins, jockey Paul Townend and owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, and Hunters Yarn was a 1-3 shot to make it a hat-trick for all concerned on his chasing bow.
A three-time bumper winner and twice successful over hurdles, Hunters Yarn looked to have victory in the bag after cruising to the front but blundered badly and crashed out at the last obstacle.
Gordon Elliott’s Sa Fureur, who had fallen on his fencing bow behind Mullins-trained star Facile Vega at Navan four weeks ago, was left in splendid isolation following Hunters Yarn’s tumble and came home with 40 lengths in hand over the eventual runner-up Byker under Jack Kennedy.
“He was a fortunate winner, but he was going to be a nice second and was running a good race,” Elliott said afterwards.
“I just hope the faller is okay, we had a bit of luck on our side – if you haven’t luck at this game, you have nothing.
“Jack said he showed a good attitude. We’ll probably look at one of those rated novice chases, or we could step him into a handicap.”
Elliott and Kennedy doubled up in the Hytech EQ Ultra 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle, with Pacini justifying 5-4 favouritism with relative ease.
The three-year-old set the standard on jumping form, after finishing fifth and fourth respectively on his first two attempts, and he made it third time lucky with a six-and-a-half-length verdict.
Elliott added: “It looked like a grand opportunity and he did it well.
“He’s been working well at home and we fancied him the first day, he just got a fright. He jumped a lot better there today and he stayed going well. He’s going to win his races.”
Kennedy ended the afternoon with a treble after steering Ted Walsh’s 10-1 shot Pictures Of Home to a head victory in the Tote Always SP Or Better @Fairyhouse Handicap Hurdle.
Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore combined to land the Lacey’s Plumbing & Heating Supplies Maiden Hurdle with 7-2 chance Chigorin.
O’Moore Park, the 4-6 favourite to make a winning comeback after 596 days off the track, was ultimately a little disappointing in finishing third.
De Bromhead’s assistant, Robbie Power, said of the winner’s display: “We’re delighted with that. He stepped forward nicely from Naas, we thought he wanted three miles and he’s proved us right.
“He’s still learning, the penny is only starting to drop with him now, so hopefully he can keep improving.
“He’s an out-and-out stayer and you won’t see the best of him until he goes chasing. He’s a fine, big, strong horse and he’ll be a nice one to look forward to next season.”
Ben Godfrey was delighted to repay the faith put in him by Forward Plan’s connections as he rode the biggest winner of his career in the bet365 Handicap Chase at Doncaster.
Godfrey partnered Anthony Honeyball’s seven-year-old to three wins last season but none came close to matching the £26,000 first prize on offer on Town Moor.
Punters who had backed him at 6-1 never had a moment of worry in truth, as Godfrey cruised into contention as Mister Coffey and Whistleinthedark kicked on.
As soon as Forward Plan drew level, the race was as good as over, and he put it to bed in a matter of strides – possibly helped by the fact there were no fences in the straight, with them having been omitted due to the low sun.
Forward Plan had finished sixth behind stablemate Blackjack Magic in the Badger Beer Chase at Wincanton on his return and Godfrey felt that put him spot on for this.
“He travelled really well, he’s only a little horse but he’s been holding his own in some nice races,” said Godfrey.
“He ran a really nice race in the Badger Beer and back down to three miles today, as opposed to the extended three, was a big help.
“I knew with the fences out he’d have a big turn of foot. I think that helped him, as he’s a nifty little horse, so when I pressed the button, he put the race to bed. He idled a little but stuck on gamely in the end.
“That’s my biggest win to date. He’s taken me to some nice Saturday races. We all need horses like that and he’s been great for me – and to win a big one on him feels good to be able to repay the faith the owners have in me and Anthony.”
Broadway Boy continued his steep upward trajectory over fences with a determined victory in the Favourite From The Sun Now Daily Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.
The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained five-year-old had won two of his first three starts since having his attentions switched to the larger obstacles, his only defeat coming at the hands of dual Stayers’ Hurdle hero Flooring Porter at this track in October.
Having since returned to Cheltenham to win a Listed novice event by 20 lengths, Broadway Boy was a heavily supported 11-8 favourite stepping into a £100,000 handicap that featured a Betfair Chase winner and Gold Cup third in Protektorat – and the Twiston-Davies runner proved more than up to the task.
Given an attacking ride from the front by the trainer’s son Sam, the Malinas gelding did make a couple of jumping errors along the way but was always doing enough on the run-in to see off his long-time challenger Threeunderthrufive by a length and a quarter.
Dan Skelton can rightly take plenty of heart from the performance of Protektorat, who bounced back from a disappointing defence of his Betfair Chase crown at Haydock last month to finish an honourable third under the welter burden of 12 stone.
Of the winner, Twiston-Davies senior said: “His jumping was brilliant on the whole, but he made three mistakes down the back and if it wasn’t for those, he would have won quite easily. He is very tough and really good.
“After the last day, this race came onto the agenda. We are always looking for big money and this race was worth a lot of money.
“We certainly do like pitching novice chasers against experienced horses when we get the chance. We have done all our lives, and we have earned a lot of money doing that.
“I was delighted when Protektorat was declared to keep the weights down – it meant the world to us.
“He could go for either the National Hunt Chase or the Brown Advisory come the Festival. We will just have to see what the opposition looks like before making those decisions.”
Jonjo O’Neill senior and junior combined to land the John Wyke Memorial Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase with 5-1 shot Are U Wise To That.
The six-year-old travelled like the best horse in the race for much of the extended three-mile-one-furlong contest, but looked set to come off second best when Irish raider Midnight Our Fred kicked a couple of lengths clear between the final two fences.
To his credit, though, Are U Wise To That gritted his teeth to stay in the fight and finished the stronger of the pair up the hill to prevail by a length and three-quarters.
“When he missed the second-last, I thought he was beaten, to be honest,” said the winning trainer. “Then he jumped the last okay, but he stuck to his guns well, to be fair, so we are happy.
“His jumping was average, but he has got around. He does it in his own fashion, but he won nicely.
“It is nice to know that he can get around Cheltenham and you would have to look at the Ultima at the Festival with him.”
The Sophie Leech-trained Madara secured top honours in the two-mile Quintessentially Handicap Chase.
Favourite backers will have been getting excited after In Excelsis Deo moved to the front, but 9-1 shot Madara proved too strong on the run-in and passed the post with three and a quarter lengths in hand.
Leech said: “I’m absolutely delighted. He is a lovely young horse to have and he is very straightforward. He is just a joy really.
“We really felt after his last run that he needed further, and we were really keen to run in the December Gold Cup, but because of his four-year-old allowance, Fakir D’Oudairies put us so far out of the weights it just wasn’t worthwhile.
“Hopefully, he will be back here in March somewhere.”
The concluding Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Mares’ Handicap Hurdle went to 11-2 shot Nurse Susan, trained by Dan Skelton and ridden by his brother Harry.
Shanagh Bob produced a determined performance to maintain his unbeaten record in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Bought for £200,000 after winning an Irish point-to-point 12 moths ago, the five-year-old began to repay that hefty price tag when making a successful debut under rules at Plumpton recently.
Nicky Henderson’s charge was a 15-8 favourite stepping up in trip and class for this three-mile Grade Two – and while Nico de Boinville had to get to work from before the home turn, Shanagh Bob did respond generously to his urgings to keep him in contention.
The experienced Destroytheevidence, winner of three of his five previous outings over hurdles, stuck to his guns to make a race of it in the straight, but he was ultimately unable to resist Shanagh Bob’s finishing kick, with a length and a quarter separating them at the line.
Moon D’Orange also ran with credit in third, as did the fourth placed Kerryhill.
Henderson said of the winner: “He has come from one ordinary novice hurdle at Plumpton into a Grade Two. I was looking for a three-mile race for him and stumbled across this.
“You always felt as if he was learning. He looked like he kept finding ways to get beaten. He is a really lovely, honest, hardy person that has got his whole life in front of him.
“He just needs to learn a bit. He doesn’t know what he is doing yet, and I don’t think he knew what he was doing there, to be honest with you.
“Nico said he doesn’t think he is there yet, but he tries very hard. It is a long way from Plumpton to here in one step. I’m pleasantly surprised.”
On whether the Albert Bartlett at the Festival in March is a likely target, the Seven Barrows handler added: “This is the road to it, but let’s see how things go before we jump into that water, as there is a long way to go before that.
“I thought this was a crazy step, but it has worked and he has got to stay in this company from here on in. If he can make the Albert Bartlett, that would be lovely. I know Joe (Donnelly, owner) would like to, and so would I.”
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