Capodanno indicated the strength of Willie Mullins’ hand in the Gold Cup when running out a comfortable winner of the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham.

No match for stablemate and current Gold Cup holder Galopin Des Champs at Christmas when a distant third, he was taking on most of the best of the British challenge in the Grade Two event, including the smart novice Stay Away Fay.

The Real Whacker, a Festival winner as a novice last season, took the field along to halfway when Ahoy Senor, winner of the race 12 months ago, nudged up his inside and began to put some pressure on.

Stay Away Fay, Royale Pagaille and then Capodanno (7-2) all moved up menacingly at one point or another, with almost all five in a line approaching the second last.

The Real Whacker cracked first and then unfortunately Stephen Mulqueen suffered a tack malfunction on Ahoy Senor.

With Stay Away Fay outpaced, Capodanno and Paul Townend pulled clear and went on to beat a staying-on The Real Whacker by two and three-quarter lengths.

There was a sad postscript to the race as Coral Gold Cup winner Datsalrightgino sustained a fatal injury when falling early on.

Sir Gino produced a startling display to burst the Burdett Road bubble in the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Nicky Henderson’s imposing youngster had impressed many on his hurdling debut at Kempton but he faced a different calibre of opponent this time in Royal Ascot winner Burdett Road.

James Owen’s charge had shown a liking for hurdles in two previous wins over obstacles and Harry Cobden was eager to anchor him at the back of the pack as his mount was keen on his first run since November.

The big two closed in on long-time leader Milan Tino turning into the straight and while Burdett Road was still travelling strongly, when James Bowen asked Sir Gino to quicken he took two lengths out of his main rival.

Perhaps the most impressive part of the race, however, was after the last when the 5-4 chance sprinted 10 lengths clear of the 6-5 favourite.

Sir Gino is now Betfair’s 6-4 favourite for the Triumph Hurdle from 9-2.

Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon bids to continue a fine season in the My Pension Expert Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday.

The eight-year-old has won both starts this term, taking the Shloer Chase by nine and a half lengths ahead of Edwardstone on his seasonal debut in November.

He then went to Sandown for the Tingle Creek, beating the same rival again to claim a two-and-three-quarter-length victory on heavy ground.

Nico de Boinville took the ride on both occasions to deputise for Jonbon’s usual rider Aidan Coleman, who is out injured, but De Boinville himself is now on the sidelines and James Bowen has been called up in his absence.

The contest was scheduled to take place at Ascot last weekend but when the meeting was called off due to frost, Cheltenham became the alternative host, scuppering an anticipated clash with Willie Mullins’ El Fabiolo.

Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus, said: “Nicky is very happy with him and we’re hoping for a good run and that all goes well. We’re looking forward to him.

“It will be nice ground there and it can only be a benefit to him to get some more Cheltenham experience.

“James is riding really well and riding plenty of winners and we’re looking forward to seeing him riding him.”

Henderson added via his Unibet blog: “It is a job well done by the Jockey Club and the British Horseracing Authority to get this race restaged and we are very happy to be taking part.

“Unfortunately, it’s not the clash we all wanted with El Fabiolo, but Jonbon is there and in great form at home.

“James has done plenty of schooling on him, primarily because we had him on standby for Ascot in case Nico wasn’t back in time, but as it was the race was off anyway. Hopefully this will set him up nicely for the Festival.”

Jonbon will face four rivals, amongst them Gary Moore’s Editeur Du Gite – fourth behind him in the Shloer and the winner of the Desert Orchid last time out.

Elixir De Nutz, third in the Desert Orchid and the winner of the Haldon Gold Cup, is also running for Joe Tizzard and Freddie Gingell.

Richard Hobson’s Fugitif, winner of the December Gold Cup at the track, is set to be ridden by Gavin Sheehan as Dan Skelton’s Nube Negra completes the field.

Nico de Boinville will miss Friday’s action at Sandown and the plum ride on Jonbon at Cheltenham on Saturday to give himself more time to fully recover from the broken collarbone he suffered in a fall at Doncaster last month.

The leading jockey returned from nearly a month on the sidelines at Lingfield last Sunday and has since taken up a total of 11 rides, including a winner at Warwick on Monday.

However, having suffered a narrow defeat aboard 11-8 favourite Ilfu Un Mome at Chepstow on Wednesday – his only ride on the card – De Boinville has made the difficult decision to withdraw from the upcoming action, meaning James Bowen will take over aboard Jonbon in Saturday’s Clarence House Chase.

“Nico was sore after yesterday, so he won’t be riding this weekend,” said De Boinville’s agent Sam Stronge.

“We’ll just take it day by day and see how it is next week. It’s unfortunate, we obviously tried to do our best as quickly as we could, and after riding for a couple of days he obviously wasn’t quite right.

“The sensible thing to do when you’ve got big rides like that (Jonbon) is to not let everybody down. It’s a very difficult decision, but we’ll take it day by day and hopefully he’ll be back next week.”

Cheltenham boss Darrell Clarke was left “bewildered” after Victor Adeboyejo earned Bolton a controversial 1-0 Sky Bet League One victory.

Adeboyejo netted his eighth goal of the campaign after 24 minutes but Clarke and his players were convinced George Lloyd had equalised nine minutes into the second half.

Instead, referee Ben Speedie signalled offside against Town skipper Sean Long, even though his assistant Joe Simpson did not initially raise his flag. The two consulted before Lloyd’s effort was finally chalked off.

“The performance was good with chances and opportunities created,” said Clarke. “But I need to ask the referee why he disallowed a goal and the linesman didn’t give offside.

“I’m still bewildered by it to be honest. I’m going to ask for answers.

“It looked to me the referee has given offside. How does that work? I’m angry and frustrated.

“When you are coming to a top team like Bolton you need the rub of the green. I think they are going to finish in the top two at the end of the season.

“For me, my boys deserved a bit of that but it wasn’t to be.”

Cheltenham’s defeat leaves them 22nd and seven points from safety. But Clarke issued a defiant message.

“We are going to go toe-to-toe with everyone and have a right go until the end of the season. We’re not going to make things comfortable for any opposition.”

Bolton’s return to winning ways after last Saturday’s defeat at Leyton Orient sees them just one point off an automatic promotion place.

On the game’s potential turning point, Evatt said: “It was a brilliant decision by the ref.

“Darrell was furious at the time because the player was actually onside. But it was impacting players who started offside and blocked our defenders from recovering.

“They have impacted the action, so it was a fantastic decision.”

On his team’s below-par display, Evatt added: “Come the end of the season no one will remember the performance.

“The most important thing was the three points. Believe it or not that’s five wins out of six

“This league is hard, no one is going to make it easy for you. It’s amazing how one defeat can effect your psyche and mindset.

“It is finding a way to win because you can’t play well every week.

“We looked a bit jittery and nervous which I don’t really understand.

“The way to deal with that is to go for it even more and not try and go safe and do what we did tonight.

“We are not used to losing games, so we have to deal better with the losses.

“That win will do them a world of good.”

Striker Victor Adeboyejo’s eighth goal of the season earned promotion-chasing Bolton a hard-fought 1-0 Sky Bet League One victory over Cheltenham.

But Wanderers’ return to winning ways following last Saturday’s defeat at Leyton Orient was not without controversy.

George Lloyd believed he had cancelled out Adeboyejo’s 24th-minute opener nine minutes into the second half after his first effort was saved by Nathan Baxter.

However, referee Ben Speedie signalled offside before assistant referee Joe Simpson eventually raised his flag in confirmation. The two consulted before the initial decision was upheld.

Cheltenham boss Darrell Clarke was later booked after another decision went against his team.

Adeboyejo had not previously scored in 2024 until punishing Tom Bradbury’s defensive slip and coolly finishing from 18 yards.

But relegation-threatened Cheltenham proved tricky opponents in a fixture replayed from January 13 after the collapse and subsequent death of Bolton fan Iain Purslow.

Baxter saved from Rob Street while Tom Pett fired wide before the home side went in front. Curtis Davies lashed a second-half effort into the side-netting while Bolton survived a triple stoppage-time shot barrage.

Paisley Park is in rude health as he prepares to go in search of an unprecedented fourth success in the McCoy Contractors Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Emma Lavelle’s veteran 12-year-old has won the Grade Two three times, just like Lady Rebecca at the turn of the century.

Third behind the French Raider Gold Tweet last season, Paisley Park has run two huge races in defeat already this campaign when just touched off at Newbury and Ascot, most recently in the Long Walk.

When asked if Paisley Park was in the same form as for his two meritorious runs this season, Lavelle told Sky Sports Racing: “I think so.

“He seems very well at home, he schooled this morning. He’s jumped more hurdles than I’ve had hot dinners at home so he’s in great order.

“He’s his own man so it’s fingers crossed he brings to the table what he has in both races so far this season.

“He loves Cheltenham, he’s got a great record there and we’ve just got to keep everything crossed.”

Paisley Park’s old adversaries Champ and Dashel Drasher are likely to take him on again, with 2022 Grand National winner Noble Yeats and Marie’s Rock other notable entries.

Six games in the English Football League this weekend have fallen victim to freezing conditions gripping the UK.

Saturday’s Sky Bet League One matches between Cheltenham and Carlisle and Port Vale and Wycombe were both postponed due to frozen pitches.

League Two games at AFC Wimbledon, Bradford, Mansfield and Swindon were also called off, with temperatures dropping to minus 7C in some parts this week.

“A Football League appointed match official conducted an 11am pitch inspection at the Completely-Suzuki Stadium this morning,” read a Cheltenham club statement on Friday.

“After consultation with the Football League the decision has been made to postpone tomorrow’s fixture.

“The frost covers have been on the pitch all week, but temperatures for the past two nights have fallen so low that a considerable amount of frost has got into the pitch.

“On balance it was felt that temperatures are not forecast to rise high enough to remove the frost before kick-off so the decision has been taken to postpone the match.

“The timing of the decision has also taken into account the considerable journey faced by opponents Carlisle and a desire to inconvenience them as little as possible.”

Wycombe’s fixture at Port Vale also fell later in the day following a pitch inspection.

Mansfield, who quickly announced that Sutton will now visit on Tuesday, said: “Frost covers have been in place on the pitch for 10 days as part of the club’s efforts to protect the pitch from sub zero temperatures as well as industrial hot-air blowers.

“Temperatures in Mansfield, however, have been as low as minus 7C. Following a pitch inspection by an EFL appointed referee the pitch has been deemed unplayable.”

Bradford reported sub-zero temperatures of up to minus 7C this week ahead of their Yorkshire derby with Doncaster, saying areas of the Valley Parade surface had been left frozen.

The Bantams added: “Frost covers, effective to minus 4C, have been covering the pitch since last Friday, with every effort made to host the fixture.”

Wimbledon said of their Plough Lane fixture with Crawley being called off: “Every effort was made to get this game on by our staff, and volunteers helped to cover the playing surface earlier this week to protect against the elements.

“However, the pitch was today deemed to be unplayable with parts of it still frozen.

“Though temperatures are due to increase by mid-morning on Saturday, conditions are still predicted to be low at this time, so there’s no guarantee that the pitch would be playable by 1.45 pm when it’s needed for pre-match.”

Swindon’s home game with Tranmere was also postponed on Friday.

James Owen has raised the exciting possibility of Triumph Hurdle favourite Burdett Road running in the Unibet Hurdle next weekend.

A Royal Ascot winner for Michael Bell, he has been very impressive in two starts over timber to date in the hands of Harry Cobden.

While Cobden’s availability is not set in stone due to his link with Paul Nicholls, Owen is considering taking on the older horses as he feels he would learn more in a better race than if it was a small field in the JCB Triumph Trial on the same card.

With Constitution Hill no longer running in what is registered as the International Hurdle, run on Trials day for the first time this year, the race has suddenly opened up.

“He doesn’t need to run before the Festival, but it would be nice for experience. I think next time he’s going to put a better performance up, especially on better ground, it will help his speed and his jumping,” Owen told Sky Sports Racing.

“I’d like to get another run into him because he’s a fresh horse, he was too fresh at Huntingdon, another run then five or six weeks into the Festival would be great.

“I think Harry is keen to ride him and if he can’t, there’s plenty of good jockeys out there.

“He’ll be entered in two races on Trials day, the four-year-old race and the older race, where he gets all the allowances. It’s not a bad shout, he’d learn a lot in that race and if there were only four runners in the Triumph Trial we might run him in the other one where he’d learn a bit more.

“The Triumph is the aim this year, as long as we get there in the same health we are now – a bit more experience would be great, which way we get there doesn’t matter.

“Whether we go to Trials day or if we are not happy or it’s not on, that’s why he is in in Ireland (Dublin Racing Festival), that’s an option as well. The Adonis is there but personally I think that is too close, if we don’t go to Trials day or Ireland I think we’d go straight there.”

Love Envoi could be rerouted to the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday week after freezing temperatures scuppered plans to run at Lingfield on Friday.

Having finished second to Not So Sleepy in the rearranged Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Sandown on her reappearance, Harry Fry’s star mare was due to take on the boys once more in the £100,000 Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Hurdle on day one of Lingfield’s Winter Million Racing Festival.

However, a frozen track forced the abandonment of Friday’s card and while the Lightning Novices’ Chase was rescheduled to be run at the same track on Sunday, Love Envoi’s race was not.

Fry has yet to firm up an alternative target for the Noel Fehily Racing-owned eight-year-old, but raised next weekend’s Grade Two feature in the Cotswolds as a possible option following news earlier in the week that Champion Hurdle hero Constitution Hill will not be lining up.

“We’re in discussions with Noel Fehily and Dave Crosse and the owners about what we do next, we haven’t decided yet,” said Fry.

“Friday’s race was ideal, but it was not to be, so we’re discussing it among ourselves and deciding on a new plan.

“There’s a mares’ hurdle at Doncaster next weekend over two miles, but I think that’s very unlikely. There is the International (Unibet Hurdle) at Cheltenham and I think we’ll probably be putting an entry in for that, and then there’s a Listed mares’ hurdle at Warwick on February 10.

“We’ll continue to discuss it and work out where we go from here.”

Bolton’s League One clash with Cheltenham was abandoned after 29 minutes due to a medical emergency in the crowd.

Referee Sunny Singh Gill took the players off the field just after 3.30pm as medical staff went to help the supporter.

The match was officially abandoned 30 minutes later.

Bolton said the fan had suffered a suspected cardiac arrest and was taken to hospital.

A club statement read: “A supporter in the East Stand suffered a suspected cardiac arrest around 30 minutes into the game at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

“The man was treated by medical staff and paramedics at the scene, while the two teams were taken off the pitch.

“Following sustained attempts to revive the patient, he was taken to the first-aid room at the stadium and the match was abandoned shortly after 4pm.

“The supporter was subsequently taken to hospital and the thoughts of everyone at Bolton Wanderers are with him and his family.

“An update on the supporter’s condition will follow.

“Details regarding a new date and ticket refunds/arrangements for the fixture will be released in due course.”

Cheltenham added: “Today’s fixture against Bolton Wanderers has been abandoned due to a medical emergency in the crowd.

“The thoughts of everyone at Cheltenham Town Football Club are with the individual involved and their loved ones at this time.”

The game was still goalless when play was halted. Kyle Dempsey had fired over for Bolton at one end while Cheltenham’s George Lloyd was denied by home goalkeeper Nathan Baxter.

Bolton ended the day still two points off the top of the table after leaders Portsmouth suffered a surprise home defeat, while Cheltenham remained three points from safety.

Connections of Jonbon are excited about the prospect of again locking horns with El Fabiolo, with the Clarence House Chase now just over a week away.

The Ascot Grade One was nominated as the next target by both camps after winning their pre-Christmas assignments and neither team is backing down from the challenge just yet, with the two major players of the two-mile chasing division poised to clash for a third time.

It was Nicky Henderson’s charge who gained the upper hand at Aintree in the duo’s novice hurdling days, but El Fabiolo excelled during a novice chasing campaign that saw Willie Mullins’ seven-year-old claim Grade One glory at the Dublin, Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals.

With the scoreline locked at one each, many thought the rubber match would come in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, but now the scene seems set for a repeat of Energumene’s titanic clash with Shishkin in early 2022, with the Jonbon camp relishing a blockbuster showdown.

“The horse is in great form, Nicky is very happy with him and we’re all looking forward to the race,” said Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus.

“It should be a cracking race and we’re looking forward to it.”

All has gone swimmingly for Jonbon so far this term and having returned with a dazzling display in Cheltenham’s Shloer Chase, he showed he has the ability to grind out results when conditions are against him when producing a gritty performance to win the Tingle Creek last month.

Jonbon was ridden in both of those victories by Nico de Boinville, but with the Seven Barrows number one on the sidelines with a collarbone injury and former partner Aidan Coleman still recovering from the serious knee injury suffered last summer, the eight-year-old is likely to have a new man in the saddle for the Clarence House.

James Bowen has proved a more than able deputy aboard the Henderson string in De Boinville’s absence, but Berry says no jockey decision has been made yet for Jonbon with the trainer set to have crucial input.

He added: “I’m not sure at the moment (who will ride) and we’ll leave that up to Nicky.”

Jeremy Scott’s Dashel Drasher could briefly resume his chasing career after his placed run in the Howden Long Walk Hurdle.

The fan favourite, now 11 years old, had a lucrative spell in staying hurdles last season but is also a well-regarded chaser with four successes over fences on his CV – including the Grade One Ascot Chase.

Second in the Relkeel Hurdle, the Cleeve Hurdle and the Stayers’ Hurdle last season, the latter a placing gained upon appeal, the gelding returned to action this term to finish third in the bet365 Hurdle at Wetherby in November.

He then headed to Newbury for the Long Distance Hurdle, a Grade Two event he won by a head from fellow veteran Paisley Park – another stalwart of the division.

Both horses lined up for the Long Walk to give Fergal O’Brien’s Crambo a run for his money, with the young horse coming out on top as Paisley Park was second behind him and Dashel Drasher in third place.

Scott could now call on his stable star’s versatility as the horse’s next outing could either be a hurdle start or a brief return to chasing, though both paths will likely lead to the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

“He’s doing really well. He did pull a muscle, I think over the last hurdle because he went quite long there, so we’ve had a little hold-up there,” said Scott.

“That’s probably neither here nor there and we’ve sorted that out, so he’s fighting fit for the end of the month or the beginning of next month.

“He could either go back to the Cleeve (Hurdle, at Cheltenham) or go for the Denman (Chase, at Newbury), I’ve a notion to do that.”

Should Dashel Drasher head for the Denman he may meet Nicky Henderson’s Shishkin and Paul Nicholls’ Bravemansgame, with the going pivotal to the decision made.

“It’s just a matter of the timing and the ground as to which direction we go in, but he’s very well at the moment and one of those is the plan,” Scott said.

“I’d imagine he’d go for the Stayer’s Hurdle either way, there’s nothing for him over fences really at Cheltenham, only the Gold Cup and I wouldn’t quite think he was up to that.”

Cheltenham boss Darrell Clarke hailed midfielder Liam Sercombe’s influence after his quickfire brace sealed a shock 2-1 home win over leaders Portsmouth.

Pompey had taken the lead through a 49th-minute own goal but the Robins responded quickly, with Sercombe’s first brace for the club sealing three valuable points in their battle against the drop.

The vastly experienced Sercombe has scored four goals in his last five games and is clearly enjoying life under Clarke, who also managed him at Bristol Rovers.

“Sercs has done that all his career and he knows where the back of the net is,” Clarke said.

“They were great goals and he is leading by example. He’s an important, senior member of my team and he’s done the business today.

“He did his job and then I took him off to shore it up in midfield and said ‘come and sit with me Sercs – two brilliant goals mate!’ but he was excellent.”

Cheltenham remain in the bottom four, but their sixth win in 15 games under Clarke has given them renewed belief that they can survive.

“The way the boys put their bodies on the line was absolutely tremendous,” he said.

“I am delighted to come back from a goal down and win the game as well. I am over the moon with it.”

Portsmouth were on top for much of the first half, with Abu Kamara a major threat.

But they failed to seriously test goalkeeper Luke Southwood, who made comfortable saves from Sean Raggett and Marlon Pack.

Kamara had the ball in the net before half-time, but the whistle had already been blown for a foul on him and it was ruled out.

But Paddy Lane’s cross was helped on by Raggett and Tom Bradbury deflected it into his own net under pressure from Colby Bishop in the 49th minute.

Portsmouth were in front for less than two minutes, with Will Ferry’s long throw-in hooked in by Sercombe in the 51st minute.

The winner came when George Lloyd dispossessed Conor Shaughnessy in the 54th minute, allowing Sercombe to smash into the roof of the net for his sixth of the season.

Pompey boss John Mousinho felt his team controlled the game and should have had two penalties.

“By the time we went 1-0 up I felt we deserved the lead,” Mousinho said.

“There were five minutes of absolute madness from us when they scored, but after that we dominated.

“We should’ve had two penalties, but ended up with two bookings for diving. It was a disappointing afternoon.

“A lot of stuff didn’t go for us as far as refereeing decisions go, but we didn’t lose the game because of that, we lost it because of our own sloppy errors.

“I can live with today because we performed pretty well, but I’m still puzzled as to how we lost it.

“As much as it’s a blow, we need to dust ourselves down and go again.”

Grand National winner Corach Rambler will head straight for the Gold Cup at Cheltenham before aiming to repeat his Aintree heroics in April.

Last seen running an encouraging race to be third in the Betfair Chase, Lucinda Russell feels he would have too much weight to carry in the Ultima at Cheltenham, the race he won prior to success in the National, so therefore the Gold Cup represents a better route.

“Corach Rambler is in flying form and seems very well in himself. He’ll go straight to the Gold Cup and we’ll look to get a racecourse gallop into him before that like we did last year,” she told William Hill.

“Everyone knows how much I love him and it would be very special if he could be competitive in another Grand National. Over Christmas we watched back the race last year and it was amazing how much he loved it and how well he jumped. That is the main target and, while I don’t like to call the Gold Cup a prep, that’s sort of what we’re treating it as.

“He’ll have to carry so much weight in the Ultima and we just feel the Gold Cup will be a better race for him. It would be amazing if he could run well in that which would set him up perfectly for Aintree.”

She may have two runners in the blue riband with Ahoy Senor possibly lining up. He is likely to have another run first, however.

“Ahoy Senor is in great form and has fully recovered from his sore heel after Newbury. We’ve sorted that out and he’s been doing really well at home since,” said Russell.

“The aim looks the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham and, if we don’t go there, we’ll look at the Denman Chase at Newbury – a track we know he goes well at. The race at Lingfield (Fleur De Lys Chase) could have been an option, but I’m not keen on running him on very heavy ground.

“Providing one of those races goes well, it will most likely be the Gold Cup next. He has got an entry in the Ryanair and we could look at that, but I’d be leaning towards the Gold Cup at this stage.”

Russell, who feels she possibly ran Giovinco back too quickly in the Kauto Star Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and may go to Sandown or Cheltenham next, also passed on a good word for the mare, Apple Away.

“She’s a bit of a dark horse and I’m quietly confident she might run quite well in the Brown Advisory. She’ll head to Warwick next weekend and I’ve been really happy with her at home since her last run,” she said.