England are ready to start Tom Curry in Saturday’s seismic World Cup opener against Argentina if there are no setbacks in his recovery from an ankle injury.

Curry missed all four warm-up Tests after spraining the joint during training in early August, but is now poised to make his first appearance since the Gallagher Premiership final in May.

The influential 25-year-old is so valuable to England – especially in defence – that they are willing to slot him straight into the back row, most likely at openside flanker.

“It’s great to see Tom out there training, he’s been really good. He’s been excellent,” said defence coach Kevin Sinfield, who revealed the squad has a clean bill of health.

When asked if Curry could be recalled immediately, Sinfield replied: “We’ve got no doubt about that.

“He’s got a number of caps under his belt now and he’s been doing it for years. He can play a number of positions across the back row for us too. We’re delighted he’s available.”

England will need to be armed with every possible string to their bow when they clash with Argentina in Marseille having complied a record of five defeats in six Tests.

Defence has been an alarming area of vulnerability with 30 tries conceded in the nine games since Sinfield took charge as part of Steve Borthwick’s coaching team.

Sinfield pinpoints the recent high injury count, plus the bans issued to Billy Vunipola and Owen Farrell for dangerous tackles last month, as two of the reasons for the malaise.

“It really helps having Tom Curry back available. Some of the suspensions that we’ve had over the last couple of weeks haven’t helped. The back row changes we’ve had to make probably haven’t helped too,” Sinfield said.

“I do see a team here that are improving and getting better. I also understand and I’m very realistic that we’ve not been good enough so far.

“We are working incredibly hard to be better this week and I have complete confidence and belief in the group over where we’re going.

“I’ve seen a very slight change in how we’ve gone about our business this week. We needed to have that change and make that adjustment.

“I have to say I’ve really enjoyed my time with the guys. I’ve not been happy with the results and I’ve not been happy with the tries we’ve conceded, but I understand where we are going.

“We’ve just got to better across the board. I won’t hide or shy away from that. We need to be better across the board in our defence. We missed too many tackles last time out and that’s something we’ve got to rectify.

“I’m firmly in there with the players. I’m accountable, I’m responsible.”

Dermot Weld appears keen to mark the 30th anniversary of Vintage Crop’s famous Melbourne Cup success with a runner in the Flemington showpiece after Harbour Wind appeared among the nominations for this year’s race.

Weld became the first European-based trainer to win the prestigious race – and did it again for good measure with Media Puzzle in 2002.

Since then Alain de Royer-Dupre, Mikel Delzangles, Andreas Wohler, Joseph O’Brien twice and Charlie Appleby have all won the ‘race that stops a nation’ and Harbour Wind is one of 15 international entries out of 132 this year.

The Moyglare-owned Harbour Wind would need to rise significantly in the weights to stand a chance of getting a run but the Listed winner will get the chance to improve his rating this weekend at Leopardstown.

Racing Victoria’s general manager Paul Bloodworth told www.racing.com: “I think Dermot is really keen to have a horse running in the 30th anniversary of him winning the Melbourne Cup with Vintage Crop.

“We went and saw Dermot in Ireland in late July and he actually had a filly that he was interested in bringing in Shamida, who had just won a Group Three race in Ireland.

“He has changed plans for that horse, but he also showed us Harbour Wind and he said ‘Look, he hasn’t done anything yet, but I really like him and he’s going to the Vinnie Roe and we’ll see how we go from there’.”

Bloodworth went on: “He won the Vinnie Roe very impressively, but he probably needs to get his rating up a little higher. He might be a little too low to be confident of securing a start.

“He (Weld) contacted us after he Vinnie Roe and said ‘Where are we?’. We’ve had to wait until the horse got re-rated and he’s still a bit lower than what he needs to be. A win on the weekend would do that and even a placing would probably do it.”

As expected the Willie Mullins-trained duo of Vauban and Ebor winner Absurde, William Haggas’ Desert Hero, owned by the King and Queen, were entered along with last year’s winner Gold Trip, one of 17 entries for Ciaran Maher and David Eustace.

Jack Draper has been added to Britain’s Davis Cup team for next week’s matches in Manchester following his run to the fourth round of the US Open.

The 21-year-old again showed his huge potential by outperforming the rest of Britain’s singles players in New York, pushing eighth seed Andrey Rublev to four sets before bowing out on Monday.

Draper has struggled with injuries throughout the season and was a doubt for the US Open because of a shoulder problem so it was encouraging that his body held up through four best-of-five-set matches.

He joins Cameron Norrie, Dan Evans, Andy Murray and Neal Skupski in the side for matches against Australia, Switzerland and France beginning next Wednesday at the AO Arena.

It is the second time Leon Smith has called up Draper, who stayed on the bench during February’s victory over Colombia.

His inclusion presents captain Smith with a tricky selection decision given Norrie, Evans and Murray are significantly more experienced but none of the trio have had a great season, with British number one Norrie in particular in something of a rut.

Calling up Draper also indicates that Smith will rely on Wimbledon champion Skupski and Evans as his doubles partnership having overlooked Joe Salisbury, who is in the quarter-finals in New York with American partner Rajeev Ram.

Britain need to finish in the top two of the four-team group to make it through to the final stages of the competition in Malaga in November.

Alflaila is set for his first shot at Group One glory at Leopardstown on Saturday after being supplemented for the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes.

Having won a Listed prize at Pontefract and Group Threes at York and Newmarket last season, the Owen Burrows-trained colt made a triumphant return from nine months on the sidelines when powering home to lift the Group Two York Stakes in July.

The four-year-old had the option of returning to the Knavesmire for last month’s Juddmonte International, but owners Shadwell already had a leading contender for that prestigious contest in the eventual winner Mostahdaf and decided to split their aces.

Alflaila has therefore been added to the feature event on day one of the Irish Champions Festival at a cost of €75,000, and his connections are relishing the challenge.

“The other choice was the Juddmonte International, but we were lucky enough to have Mostahdaf there and we chose not to run the two of them against each other,” said Shadwell’s racing manager Angus Gold.

“Alflaila wasn’t in the Irish Champion initially because he obviously had a little injury at the end of last year and we hadn’t seen him back on the track when the entries were made, but it now makes sense to have a go at this.

“It’s a very high-class race, as you would expect, but we’ll have a go and see what happens.”

While Alflaila’s ticket is booked, Mostahdaf will not be making the trip across the Irish Sea after being taken out of the 10-furlong showpiece at Tuesday’s forfeit stage.

Gold added: “To be honest I don’t think Mostahdaf was ever really going to come here. Straight after the race at York it was an obvious one to mention, but realistically we said we’d give him a bit of time between his races and we’d love to go to Ascot for the Champion Stakes.

“It is unlikely he’ll run there if the weather has turned by then, so let’s hope we get a dry autumn, otherwise it will probably be the Breeders’ Cup (Turf).”

Alflaila is one of 13 horses still in contention for the Irish Champion Stakes, with John and Thady Gosden’s Nashwa – runner-up to stablemate Mostahdaf at York – another intended British challenger.

Roger Varian’s King Of Steel is a leading hope off the back of his third in the King George, while Sir Michael Stoute could saddle Bay Bridge and William Haggas could send My Prospero.

Aidan O’Brien has whittled his team down to four, with last year’s winner Luxembourg and dual Derby hero Auguste Rodin joined by Broome and Point Lonsdale.

French raider Onesto (Fabrice Chappet), Al Riffa (Joseph O’Brien), Sprewell (Jessica Harrington) and White Birch (John Murphy) are the other hopefuls.

The other Group One on the card is the Coolmore America “Justify” Matron Stakes, in which Dermot Weld appears to have a particularly strong hand.

The master of Rosewell House could give Homeless Songs her first run since April in the one-mile contest and she could be joined by Tahiyra, who emulated her stablemate by winning the Irish 1,000 Guineas in May before following up in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Above The Curve (Joseph O’Brien) and Just Beautiful (Paddy Twomey) are also among 21 possibles.

The O’Brien family dominate the entries for the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes, with Joseph interestingly supplementing impressive Curragh maiden winner Atlantic Coast.

Frankel colt Diego Velazquez and course and distance winner Chief Little Rock are two of six contenders for O’Brien senior.

Fourteen horses are in the mix for the €200,000 Dullingham Park Stakes, formerly known as the Boomerang Mile, while the Haggas-trained Al Aasy heads 13 entries for the Paddy Power Stakes.

The gambling regulator has told MPs that a customer’s postcode can only be used “in combination” by betting firms to assess their financial risk.

The heads of the Gambling Commission appeared in front of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee as controversy grows over the introduction of affordability checks on bettors as part of the development of the gambling White Paper.

Chief executive Andrew Rhodes, his deputy Sarah Gardner and executive director Tim Miller are facing questions from members of the committee as part of its inquiry into gambling regulation.

The industry watchdog is in the middle of a consultation about its proposals for implementing the White Paper and has attracted intense criticism for its interpretation of the Government’s plans around financial checks.

Discussing the use of credit agencies with MPs, Mr Miller said: “We’ve worked incredibly closely with the Information Commissioner’s Office to ensure that this is compliant with data protection legislation, and they will continue to work with us as this is developed further.

“Importantly, the rules will be very clear that any data that is collected through this can only be used for the purposes of helping to protect consumers and cannot be used for commercial purposes.”

Asked what other type of agency could be used, Mr Miller said: “At the moment it will primarily be credit reference agencies, but clearly there’s a range of other data that can be publicly available that can be useful here.

“So, for example, postcode data can be really useful in terms of helping you understand where areas of deprivation exist.

“Now, that won’t necessarily immediately tell you that for that customer that lives in that postcode that they are at greater risk. But if they’re living in an area of greater deprivation then, actually, I think it is right that we say there is greater onus on the operator to really understand whether that customer can afford the sort of gambling that they are engaged with.

“So that sort of publicly available data would supplement what you’d have from credit reference agencies.”

Mr Rhodes added: “It’s important to say that these things are taken in combination.

“I can almost guarantee someone’s writing a tweet now saying ‘The Gambling Commission says whether you can gamble or not depends on whether you live in a poor area or not’.

“And what we’re actually saying is there’s a whole wealth of data that can be used that builds a risk picture. It’s not one thing on its own. You take things in combination.

“So there is no guarantee that because someone lives in an area that they have a particular income, but you take it in combination with something from credit reference agencies, other public information, other information we can gather – you start to build a risk picture.”

The White Paper proposes that “enhanced financial checks” will be triggered by a spend of £1,000 in 24 hours or £2,000 in 90 days, but politicians have repeatedly promised the checks will be frictionless.

Writing in the Racing Post in April when the White Paper was released, gambling minister Stuart Andrew said: “(For) the very few players who undergo checks, these will happen in the background against information already publicly available so the process is completely frictionless.”

Culture minister Lucy Frazer, speaking in the Commons when the White Paper was unveiled, also said: “Most people will not know that the checks … are happening. They will be frictionless and happen behind the scenes: 80% of people will have to do nothing at all and 20% will have a simple check on whether they have been made bankrupt or have a county court judgment against them.”

It is poised to be a huge weekend for owners Amo Racing as their high-class colts King Of Steel and Bucanero Fuerte fly the flag at the Irish Champions Festival.

The purple silks of Kia Joorabchian’s racing operation have become a regular sight in some of the calendar’s biggest races and will be front and centre at both Leopardstown and the Curragh respectively during a top-class weekend of racing in Ireland.

It is the Roger Varian’s King Of Steel who gets the first shot at glory and the Royal Ascot winner, who has made the podium in both the Derby at Epsom and the King George, finds himself at the top of the market for Saturday’s Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes in Dublin.

“It’s a very exciting time of the year and to be going to the Irish Champions Festival with two live contenders in two Group Ones is what we’ve been striving for over the last 18 months,” said Tom Pennington, racing and operations manager for the owners.

“It’s a culmination of real hard work from everyone involved, we’re excited and I know the boss is really looking forward to it.”

Having enjoyed his finest moments up at a mile and a half, the son of Wootton Bassett will be dropping back to 10 furlongs at Leopardstown.

But connections are confident King Of Steel has all the attributes to thrive in his latest assignment.

“We’ve been looking for an option to drop King Of Steel back to 10 furlongs all year, but so far it has just not presented itself and we’re very much looking forward to it,” continued Pennington.

“There’s no such thing as an easy Group One, but we’ve been waiting for this race to present itself.

“The horse is in great form, I saw him at the weekend and he did a routine piece of work and did it very nicely and let’s hope he gets there in one piece now.”

Bucanero Fuerte will always hold a special place in Amo Racing folklore having provided the owners with a first Group One success when winning the Phoenix Stakes last month.

Also sired by Wootton Bassett, it was the youngster’s second successive Group-level victory having also finished third in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot before that.

Now Adrian Murray’s talented youngster will attempt to extend his winning thread as he steps up to seven furlongs for the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.

Pennington said: “He has always been a strong stayer at six furlongs and looks as if he’s been crying out for seven. His last furlong has been his best in his last in his last couple of races.

“At the beginning of the season he was a big frame of a horse with an engine, now he is really maturing into the horse we hoped he would.”

If Bucanero Fuerte is to add another big-race victory he will have to lower the colours of Aidan O’Brien’s City Of Troy, who is currently odds-on at the head of the betting.

The imposing son of Justify made it two from two in imperious style in the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket – and connections of Bucanero Fuerte are under no illusion they have a mammoth task on their hands.

“Bucanero Fuerte does like to get his toe in, but we wouldn’t be overly concerned stepping up to seven – the one concern we do have is obviously City Of Troy,” added Pennington.

“You can’t be frightened of one horse, but what he did at Newmarket, to the eye, was visually impressive.

“We know he will take a lot of beating, but we think we’re going there with a live chance.”

Gregor Townsend has called on his Rugby World Cup hopefuls to play their part in ramping up the feelgood factor of a nation in what promises to be a passion-stirring autumn for Scottish sport.

The Scots, who arrived in France on Sunday night, harbour genuine ambitions of going deep into the global showpiece after elevating themselves to fifth in the world rankings. They have never previously gone into a World Cup in a loftier position.

In addition, the buoyant Scottish football team are on the brink of qualifying for only their second major tournament since 1998, with Steve Clarke’s team able to set one foot in Germany for Euro 2024 if they defeat Cyprus this Friday, while Oban’s Bob MacIntyre will become the first Scottish golfer since Stephen Gallacher in 2014 to represent Europe at the Ryder Cup at the end of September.

Townsend knows his team, on the biggest stage in their sport, have a chance to rouse the public back home.

“It’s an exciting few weeks for Scottish sport,” the head coach told the PA news agency. “The football this week, rugby right through September and October, and Bob MacIntyre getting in the Ryder Cup team so we’ve got someone to cheer for.

“There are some massive events, the biggest tournament in our game, one of the biggest ones in golf just round the corner, and you’ve got the football team doing really well.

“It makes everybody who is interested in sport feel better when the team they support are doing well.

“We get a boost when we watch the football team do well and we’re another sporting organisation so I would imagine people that are big supporters of us, it gives them real hope and inspiration and lifts their mood for a day or a week and they can’t wait to get behind the team in the future. That’s certainly the feeling we get from our supporters.”

Townsend, who feels “very privileged” to be leading Scotland to a second consecutive World Cup, is thrilled with the way supporters have rallied behind his team in recent seasons. The head coach hopes his “humble” group of players can strengthen that bond and engage other more casual rugby observers by flourishing in France over the next two months.

“A lot of people say to me, ‘I don’t tend to watch rugby but I watch the Six Nations or the World Cup’,” he said. “I think there’s something about the national team, whether it’s football or rugby, that makes you go, ‘right, I don’t have to be a big supporter of it but I’ll switch it on because I know they’re representing us’.

“We’ve seen it with the crowds we’ve been getting at Murrayfield over the last few years but if we just take the last three home games over the summer, the crowd numbers there before the game were huge.

“They’re there two hours before the game and they stay there afterwards. It’s brilliant. I think there’s a different group of people coming to games.

“Maybe these games were different because they were in the summer but I saw so many families at our last game against Georgia and it was great to see.

“We had three generations of families coming to watch the team. A lot of that is from the way the team is playing but it’s also because of the players as people.

“They are the most humble, open and engaging guys you could coach. I see how much time they spend with supporters and that rubs off.

“If you have a group that is closed, won’t stay for autographs and ignore people who want to chat them, that is going to have an effect on what people think of you, whereas this group are brilliant. I believe that’s a big part of why the people in the country are behind them.”

One-time Derby favourite Reach For The Moon is set to pursue a career over hurdles this winter, having left John and Thady Gosden to join Jamie Snowden.

The son of Sea The Stars looked destined for the top following a brilliant victory in the 2021 Solario Stakes, but was beaten by Bayside Boy on his final juvenile start in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster – his conqueror on Town Moor winning last year’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

Despite that defeat, optimism remained he could claim Derby glory for the late Queen in her Platinum Jubilee year – but ultimately he did not make the trip to Epsom, not reappearing until a promising run in the Heron Stakes at Sandown before finishing second in the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot last season.

Having disappointed on his next start in France, Reach For The Moon was gelded during the winter – but he has again finished well beaten twice in the royal silks this term, most recently finishing down the field in the Royal Hunt Cup, and he is being readied for a change of code.

“He’s not with us yet, but he’s left John Gosden’s and has been down at Henrietta Knight’s learning to jump,” said Snowden.

“He is now back at Sandringham having a bit of a break and will come to us later on.

“It’s really exciting. He’ll have a couple of months at Sandringham I guess and then he’ll come to us and will hopefully be ready to run sometime in the new year.”

With the autumn drawing closer, Snowden is beginning to make running plans for three of his stable stars in Ga Law, Datsalrightgino and You Wear It Well.

Ga Law won last season’s Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham before losing his way in the new year, while Datsalrightgino was last seen landing Grade Two honours in the Jordan Electrics Ltd Future Champion Novices’ Chase at Ayr.

Your Wear It Well provided her trainer with Cheltenham Festival success when landing the Jack De Bromhead Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle in March before finishing fifth against the boys at Aintree.

Snowden added: “They were our big three from last year I suppose and they are all back in and in good order at the moment.

“Your Wear It Well will probably start off in that Listed mares’ race at Wetherby and we’ll work towards hopefully going back to Cheltenham in March.

“Ga Law is going to start off over hurdles in the West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby and then hopefully go for the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury.

“Datsalrightgino we’re hoping to start off in the Old Roan at Aintree and then go to the Paddy Power Gold Cup, perhaps.”

John ‘Shark’ Hanlon has expressed his delight that Cape Gentleman has settled in well to retirement in America.

Owned by Pierre Manigault, the seven-year-old was attempting to follow in the footsteps of Sergeant Murphy, who claimed Grand National glory for Manigault’s great uncle, Stephen ‘Laddie’ Sandford in 1923, when suffering a career-ending injury at Aintree in the spring.

Having struck into himself in between obstacles during the world’s most famous steeplechase, he was immediately transferred to Liverpool Equine Hospital where he began his recuperation, before returning to Hanlon’s County Carlow base to continue his recovery.

He has now headed to South Carolina for what is anticipated will be a long and happy retirement with his owner.

Hanlon said: “It’s brilliant because the man he has gone to in America, a lot of owners wouldn’t have done what he has done. He has minded him like a baby.

“We had him up until about 10 days ago and I want to thank the hospital in Liverpool for the job they did with the horse, they did a great job.

“We got him home about three weeks after the race and myself and all my staff at home, we minded him and have done a great job with him. We’re delighted to get him to America now where he will be retired.

“He’s out enjoying the sun now and that is very important and he’s having a ball. It’s great that Pierre put the money in to save the horse.”

Hanlon has been keen to document Cape Gentleman’s road to recovery via his stable’s social media channels over the past few months, believing it is crucial in combating any negative perceptions of both horse racing and the Grand National itself.

He added: “For that race (Grand National) it is important that these things happen and it is on us to highlight things like this because none of us want the race stopped.”

Leeds have released forward Zane Tetevano from his contract as he continues his recovery from heart surgery, the Super League club have announced.

The New Zealand international suffered a stroke during a training session in May.

It was then discovered the 32-year-old had a hole in his heart which required surgery.

The Rhinos had initially hoped the prop would be able play again before the end of the season, but that has not proved possible.

With his contract due to expire later this year, the club have allowed Tetevano to leave early and return home to New Zealand.

Tetevano said: “I would like to thank everyone at the Rhinos for the support they have given me over the last three years.

“Especially I would like to thank all the staff at the Leeds General Infirmary who have looked after me so much since my stroke and heart operation.

“I will always remember my time in Leeds fondly, and I wish (coach) Rohan (Smith) and the team all the best for the rest of this season and the years ahead.”

Tetevano made 47 appearances and scored three tries after joining the club from Penrith Panthers in 2021.

Last season’s 1000 Guineas heroine Cachet is set to make her eagerly-anticipated return in the Japan Racing Association Sceptre Fillies’ Stakes at Doncaster on Sunday week.

George Boughey’s filly won the Nell Gwyn before returning to the Rowley Mile to claim Classic glory in early May and she was only narrowly denied in the French Guineas a fortnight later.

The Highclere Thoroughbred Racing-owned daughter of Aclaim was fifth in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot the following month and has not been seen in competitive action since, but she is closing in on a comeback from her 15-month hiatus.

“Cachet is in full work, she’s going really well and she looks absolutely magnificent,” said Highclere’s managing director Harry Herbert.

“At the moment, touching wood everywhere, she’s on course to reappear in the Sceptre Stakes at Doncaster on the Sunday of the Leger meeting (September 17).

“She’s wonderful and she’s thriving at the moment. She’s had her setbacks, which she’s well and truly over – we haven’t seen her looking as well since she was in the parade ring before the Guineas.

“Now she’s a mature four-year-old she looks even better, so we’re really excited to see her back in action.”

Cachet holds a Group One entry in the Sun Chariot at Newmarket on October 7, but connections are not making any firm plans beyond her intended Doncaster return.

Herbert added: “We’ll take it one step at a time. She’s been off a long time and it’s not easy getting back to full race fitness after that time, but George is doing his best and she’s really pleasing him.”

William Muir has called time on the racing career of Pyledriver after his horse of a lifetime suffered a setback ahead of an intended appearance at Kempton on Saturday.

A dual Group One winner having landed the 2021 Coronation Cup at Epsom and last year’s King George at Ascot, the six-year-old has suffered more than his fair share of injury problems during his career, but has nevertheless given his connections some fantastic days.

He proved the fire still burns bright when making a successful return from 11 months on the sidelines in the Hardwicke Stakes in June, his second Royal Ascot success after landing the King Edward VII Stakes three years ago, before finishing fifth in the defence of his King George crown in July.

The son of Harbour Watch was due to contest this weekend’s Unibet September Stakes ahead of a potential tilt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but Muir, who trains in partnership with Chris Grassick, feels it is now right for Pyledriver to be retired.

“He worked on Saturday and to be honest he was sensational. He’s never a horse we’ve galloped off the bridle and done anything stupid with, but it was just the way he did it, the way he moved, the way he looked and he marched off the gallops like a lion,” said Muir.

“I actually said to the owners ‘you’ve just seen your next winner’ and he was fine 90 per cent of the way home, but when he got back to the yard he was just a little bit sore in the same place we first got the suspensory injury before.

“I called my vet and he said he’d just tweaked it and had a bit of inflammation round it and he was really sore to touch it, but like Pyledriver does on Sunday morning he was 100 per cent sound and bucking and kicking.

“We had him on the walker on Sunday and cantered him on Monday and the vet came back and looked at him and couldn’t believe it.

“We could run him on Saturday and he might win, but the horse has done so much for us and I just feel if I ran him and he tweaked it there’s a good chance he could do some damage, or like all of us if you’ve got a little niggle somewhere do you put more weight somewhere else and cause a problem?

“This horse has been fantastic to all of us, to the owners, to me, to the yard and to the jockeys that have ridden him and he doesn’t deserve anything to go wrong, so I think it’s the right time.

“He’s been a fantastic servant, but it isn’t just him. I’d be the same if this was a small-time runner at Southwell on a Saturday night. It’s just the case that I’m in this game because I love animals, I’ve worked with horses all my life and we’ve got to do what’s right.

“My mind and my heart is telling me it’s the right thing to do at this time.”