New York State

MANCHESTER UNITED’S head of sports medicine and first-team doctor have quit the club.

The Red Devils are currently in the midst of an injury crisis with ten senior players in the treatment room.

PA

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has lost another two members of Man Utd staff[/caption]

Getty

Dr Gary O’Driscoll is leaving the club in a ‘surprise’ decision[/caption]

Sir Jim Ratcliffe recently made a further 200 staff redundant as his brutal cost-cutting measures continued.

But in a move not linked to the job slashes, sports medicine expert Gary O’Driscoll and senior doctor Jim Moxon have left Old Trafford.

The Mail report that O’Driscoll’s exit comes as a “huge surprise” after he joined from Arsenal a year-and-half ago.

He is highly-respected in the medical field and is said to have made a positive impact while at the club.

Moxon departs after two years at Man Utd to “pursue another opportunity”, having previously worked at Liverpool.

Both are set to stay in their roles temporarily to allow for chiefs to find replacements.

Man Utd’s squad is thin at the moment as an injury crisis rips through the side.

Lisandro Martinez and Amad Diallo are not expected back until next season with ACL and ankle issues respectively.

Cheltenham Festival betting offers and free bets

Altay Bayindir, Jonny Evans, Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte complete the list of senior players sidelined.

Ruben Amorim named six teenagers on the bench for the 1-1 draw with Arsenal on Sunday in Ayden Heaven, Harry Amass, Elyh Harrison, Chido Obi, Jack Fletcher and Jack Moorhouse.

NISSAN has called time on Makoto Uchida’s stint as its CEO – with the car giant in the midst of a crisis.

According to reports, Uchida – who has come under fire after the Japanese marque failed to secure a much-anticipated merger with Honda – is to be replaced in the role by its chief planning officer, Ivan Espinosa.

AFP

Nissan’s CEO, Makoto Uchida, is set to be replaced during challenging times for the car giant[/caption]

Getty

Nissan are teetering close to the edge, with some execs claiming it has 12 months left to secure its survival[/caption]

Getty

Uchida’s stint as CEO began in 2019 but Nissan have experienced huge problems in recent months[/caption]

EPA

Uchida will be replaced in the role by the current chief planning officer, Ivan Espinosa[/caption]

The change comes as Nissan is planning a huge overhaul of its leadership – with the key aim to steer it away from the abyss.

Autocar reports the move comes as part of a drive to “achieve the company’s short- and mid-term objectives while positioning it for long-term growth”.

The change is joined by a number of other top-level management changes, with Espinosa to take the reins from April 1.

Yasushi Kimura, chair of Nissan’s board of directors, said: “Given the industry wide challenges and Nissan’s performance, we believe it is necessary as well as appropriate to change the top management team.”

IN TURMOIL

Nissan is currently facing losses of $534 million by the end of March – with the car marque’s struggles first appearing in mid-2024.

Indeed, signs of trouble began in May when they asked dealers in the US to begin selling cars at a loss.

News then broke that Nissan and Honda were to expand their earlier partnership to work on electric vehicles and software alongside fellow manufacturer Mitsubishi.

But in November, they dropped the bombshell announcement that some 9,000 employees globally would be laid off, along with the reduction of production.

By the end of 2024, some company executives had disclosed that Nissan had 12 to 14 months left to survive – a frightening prospect, with their best chance of continuing being a merger with another company.

In December, the CEOs of Nissan and Honda met for official talks and announced they would officially look to merge.

But these talks deteriorated in the new year as Nissan withdrew from the deal, following Honda’s proposal to make them a subsidiary.

MEET THE NEW BOSS

On Monday, Uchida, who’s led the company since 2019, announced his departure in a press conference.

He said: “I believe that clarifying the direction of Nissan as soon as possible, and quickly passing the baton to my successor is the way to take responsibility as CEO of the company.

“To this end, I have been striving to improve Nissan’s performance, however since we unveiled the turnaround actions last fall, people – not only outside the company, but also our employees – started to question my responsibility.

“The top priority of Nissan today is to break away from the current situation as quickly as possible and bring the company back to the growth track.

“It is essential to create an environment that enables our employees to join forces and work as one team in order to make this a reality.”

The news bolsters prospects for renewed discussions with Honda, raising the possibility of talks between the two being reignited.

A Nissan source recently told Japan‘s Nikkei that “the talks will probably proceed in the direction of accepting Honda’s investment” under the direction of a new management team.

Uchida did not confirm talks with Honda would be restarted following his exit.

But he did say that Nissan is “exploring every opportunity without any expectations to address a number of additional risks and transform our structure to enable our company to realise its mid- and long-term direction”.

Espinosa, though, refused to be drawn on the potential for talks with Honda.

He said: “I would refrain from commenting on speculation at the moment.

“My immediate focus is to work with the team, get them engaged and look forward to the future.”

When he starts his role, his main responsibility will be to implement a turnaround plan that aims to achieve annual cost savings of £2 billion.

THE FUTURE

Nissan recently announced plans to shut down three factories worldwide by the end of 2026.

The company also intends to reduce vehicle development timelines from 52 months to 37 months.

Espinosa will play a key role in overseeing the development of vital new models, including the next-generation Qashqai and Juke – two of Nissan’s best-selling vehicles in the UK.

This year will also mark the debut of the all-new Nissan Leaf and Micra EVs.

Additionally, Uchida recently confirmed plans for Nissan to introduce an electric city car for Europe, potentially based on the new Twingo developed by their Alliance partner Renault.

DISTRESSING footage of a shockingly obese panther at a Chinese zoo has sparked fury among animal lovers.

The video captures the moment a large black panther waddles around its enclosure, struggling to walk as its huge belly visibly hangs out.

AsiaWire

Video shows the obese black panther at Chengdu Zoo, China[/caption]

AsiaWire

The big cat’s bloated stomach hangs down near the ground[/caption]

AsiaWire

Animal lovers have been left shocked by the footage[/caption]

The big cat seemingly tries to hide behind a tree, but its bloated stomach makes the usually svelte and streamlined animal easy to spot. 

The shocking footage was filmed at the Chengdu Zoo in Chengdu, Sichuan Province in China and images were shared online on 9 March.

On 10 March, the zoo told local media that the black panther was very old and a female aged 16-years-old. 

The zoo also said the panther’s body functions and metabolism were not in a good condition. 

However, the panther’s condition has sparked backlash with comments saying many of the zoo’s animals are too fat due to being overfed.

A zoo keeper said: We are reducing the amount of food! We will start by reducing the beef and other things.”

Viewers have been left baffled by the size of the animal’s belly.

One viewer said: “I laughed hard. I thought she was pregnant, but it turned out that she was overweight.

“Please ask her to exercise more.”

This footage comes after a slew of other concerning images and videos coming out of Chinese zoos sparking fears about their treatment of animals.

Just last month a zoo in the Shandong province admitted to painting donkeys with black and white stripes to make them look like zebras.

The rubbish dye job by the Zibo City amusement park to try and attract more tourists was quickly spotted by visitors and shared online.

One user called the act “misleading and unethical”.

Another said that it’s “unfair to the animals and the visitors”.

But amusement park’s staff defended the act as a marketing strategy, saying that the dye used was non-toxic and did not harm the animals.

However, animal rights activists have expressed concerns over the welfare of the painted animals, arguing that such practices can cause stress and health issues.

In January, another Chinese zoo carried out a similar scam to lure in tourists by painting dogs to look like tiger cubs.

Footage taken at the Taizhou Zoo in the Jiangsu Province, shows a small fluffy creature padding around a brick courtyard daubed in oragne and black dye.

The rubbish dye job was quickly sniffed out that time as well, and the zoo was forced to admit the animals were chow chows instead.

Dogs dolled-up to look like other species has become quite an issue in China.

Last year, the Taizhou Zoo was caught parading painted puppies as pandas to scam visitors.

Evening Gazette

Footage shows dogs painted as tigers in the Taizhou Zoo[/caption]

BECKY Hill has hit out at Jack Whitehall and branded him a “privately educated nepo baby” after he referred to her as “Wetherspoons Whitney” at the Brit Awards.

She was nominated in the Dance Act category and shared a post on Instagram about how winners on the night including Charli XCX – who picked up five awards – Producer of the Year AG Cook, as well as host Jack, went to costly private schools.

The Mega Agency

Becky Hill has hit out at Jack Whitehall after he referred to her as “Wetherspoons Whitney” at the Brit Awards[/caption]

Getty

The singer branded him a “privately educated nepo baby”[/caption]

Speaking on stage earlier this month, Jack, 36, said: “It’s an eclectic mix of nominees this year, from the soaring vocals of the Wetherspoons Whitney Becky Hill, to the atmospheric house of top jaw with decks, Fred Again.”

Referencing the jibe he made about her at the ceremony, Becky, 31, wrote on Instagram: “Imagine being called a ‘Wetherspoons Whitney’ by some privately educated nepo baby who has a TV show with daddy the showbiz agent on national TV.

“My parents worked so hard to provide a middle class life for me, even tho they couldn’t afford it, no one gave me a leg up, I wasn’t close to London so couldn’t go to Brits School.

“So if you associate a Midlands accent with a Wetherspoons that says more about the silver spoon in your mouth jolly ol’ boy.”

She added: “Remember to not be out of touch today kids, even if ur daddy is rich.

“Shout out Jack Whitehall for the fuel to my fire.”

Jack attended the £52k per year Dragon School Oxford, while Charli attended Bishop’s Stortford College, which costs £38,319 per year.

Becky – who has won the Dance Act award twice before – went on to share a screenshot of the credits from the Brits, which revealed that seven writers were responsible for penning Jack’s script.

Jack mocked a series of stars in the room at the event, including a lengthy roast of rapper and Britain’s Got Talent judge KSI, while he referred to band The Last Dinner party as “Tatler Girls Aloud”.

Last week it was revealed that the Brits attracted 825 complaints to regulator Ofcom, with the majority criticising Sabrina Carpenter’s risqué opening performance and Charli’s sheer outfit.

Instagram

Becky referenced the jibe he made about her on Instagram[/caption]

A NEPO-BABY with a Hollywood A-list dad has walked the red carpet at a new movie premiere.

The 16-year-old in question is the son of an actor whose credits include the likes of Dallas Buyers Club, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Lincoln Lawyer, and many more hit films.

Getty

A nepo-baby with a Hollywood A-list dad has walked the red carpet at a new movie premiere[/caption]

Getty

He’s following in his dad’s footsteps[/caption]

He was walking the red carpet to support his dad at the premiere of his new film, The Rivals of Amziah King.

The premiere took place on Monday evening, and his 55-year-old dad looked hugely proud as he looked on at his son posing on the red carpet as his photograph was taken.

It’s none other than legendary actor Matthew McConaughey’s son, Levi.

Levi is the eldest child of Matthew and his wife Camila Alves, who also have a 15-year-old daughter named Vida, and a 13-year-old son, named Livingston.

And their eldest cut a stylish figure on the carpet, dressed in a black jacket and brown trousers.

He later posed with his stylish parents after having his own moment on the carpet, as they stood either side of their son.

Camila looked sensational in a black suit and matching trousers, and Matthew opted for a suave suit look and flashed a smile at the camera.

Levi’s red carpet appearance comes a few months after he was spotted picking up tips from his dad, 54, as the cameras rolled in San Diego in November.

Levi was filming for drama Way Of The Warrior Kid and was seen shooting scenes at Mission Beach.

Yet he had his Interstellar star dad Matthew McConaughey on-hand for support.

The How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days star was seen keeping tabs on Levi before offering some sage advice before a take.

He was shooting scenes for the movie adaptation of the 2017 Jocko Willink children’s book of the same name.

It tells the tell of 11-year-old Marc, played by Jude Hill, who finds his inner warrior strength during the summer holidays with the help of his Navy SEAL Uncle Jake.

Clips from the latest scenes saw Levi in a pale T-Shirt and dark trousers.

He stood on the sands surrounded by a camera crew.

Texas-born Matthew was seen chatting to other staff on-set after his pep-talk with Levi.

Matthew and Camila’s first and oldest son was born on July 7, 2008.

Levi means “united,” “joined,” or “joined in harmony,” and is an anagram for “live,” beginning a theme for the McConaughey kids.

While Levi’s parents preferred to keep him out of the public eye when he was growing up, they surprised their firstborn on his 15th birthday by giving him a gift fit for any teen – and allowing him to join social media.

It appears he will be following in his dad’s A-List footsteps with his first acting gig.

AFP

Levi is the son of US actor Matthew McConaughey and model Camila Alves[/caption]

Getty

Camila and Matthew share three children[/caption]

Getty

Levi is the eldest of their three[/caption]

FOUR more people have been arrested after a 40-year-old woman was shot dead in a block of flats.

Joanne Penney, 40, was shot at point blank range in a suspected mistaken identity killing.

PA

Police at the scene on Monday after a man was arrested over the murder of Joanne Penney[/caption]

WNS

The 40-year-old was killed at a property on Green Park Rhondda Cynon Taf on Sunday evening[/caption]

Cops say they have arrested a 21-year-old woman, a 27-year-old man, a 68-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman in connection with her murder.

All four have been remanded in custody.

“While these arrests are a significant development, the investigation into Joanne’s death is continuing and we have a team of experienced detectives and specialist staff working hard to establish the circumstances of this terrible incident,” Detective Chief Superintendent Ceri Hughes said.

It comes after police arrested a 42-year-old local man on Sunday night.

South Wales Police added that two vehicles – a distinctive beige Nissan Note and a black Volvo XC40 travelled from the Leicester area sometime after 10.30am on March 9 to South Wales before leaving shortly after the horror incident.

“We need information about the movement of these vehicles and their occupants, including any dashcam footage, particularly from commercial vehicles, for any journeys on Sunday,” Hughes added.

“Both vehicles were seized following last night’s arrests and will be subject to forensic examination.

“While we have teams of officers carrying out house-to-house and CCTV enquiries, I also appeal for any dashcam footage or CCTV around Llys Illtyd and the nearby retail park between 5.30pm and 6.30pm on Sunday, March 9, which may have captured these vehicles and any witnesses.”

Crime scenes remain in place as work continues to gather evidence following the shooting and inquiries into the incident continue.

Joanne was found with massive injuries after a gunshot was heard from her flat complex on the crime-ridden modern estate.

Armed police swooped on the scene in the quiet town of Talbot Green near Cardiff but she was pronounced dead on the scene.

Neighbours say Joanne – known as Jo – had a ten-year-old son – and are mystified why she was “assasinated or executed” as she was shot at point-blank range at the block of flats.

Neighbour Rebecca Morris said she was good friends with Ms Penney and described her as a “bubbly character who I liked a lot”.

“We will miss her dearly here,” she said. “She was a popular person. I’ll be going down to lay flowers shortly.”

Another neighbour said “Jo” only moved to stay with her friend around Christmas time.

The neighbour said: “She seemed nice but fairly shy. She moved over the border from England and was staying there.

“We all think it may have been mistaken identity. We can’t think why anyone should pick on her – she may have just answered the door to the wrong person at the wrong time.”

Neighbours said the peace of the Green Park estate of Talbot Green was rocked by a shot at 6.10pm on Sunday evening.

Calum Williams, who lives just a few houses from the incident, said he heard the gunshot.

“It’s terrible. I live just two doors down from where it happened. I was making a bottle for the baby and I heard a gunshot.

“It’s pretty frightening, especially with the baby.”

WNS

The mum-of-four was staying with a friend when she was shot[/caption]

Athena

A local resident hands over flowers to a police officer near the scene in Green Park[/caption]

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL is the greatest racing meet of the year – and the ultimate punting puzzle to solve!

Some 28 races, hundreds of horses and, potentially, a lot of cash to take off those bookies.

Reuters

Cheltenham Festival is the biggest punting week of the year – and an awesome showcase of racing[/caption]

But with so much going on and the action coming thick and fast once it starts, it can be easy to lose track.

Fortunately, here, I go through every single contest one by one and deliver my summary of each race below.

Cheltenham Festival betting offers and free bets

Templegate delivers his verdict of each day and key trends to keep in mind for every single race.

Together, let’s bash the bookies and make it a Festival to remember.

Cheltenham Festival day two

1.20 Turners Novices’ Hurdle (ITV/Racing TV)
2m5f

A fascinating three-way heads the market here, with Mullins’ Final Demand slight fav over Skelton’s The New Lion and Elliott’s The Yellow Clay making up the big three.

They look to have it between them.

DO DO: Back horses that won their last race as nine of the past 10 winners did. Irish yards have held sway as have horses that won a bumper.

HOODOO: Reigning Challow Hurdle winner has a shocking record as do any horse that ran on the Flat earlier in their career.

2.00 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (ITV/Racing TV)

Can Mullins’ Ballyburn – owned in part by Gareth Bale’s agent David Manasseh – put himself on the path to future Gold Cup glory and win the key trial for a novice?

Well it might be down to his stablemate Dancing City to stop him. Elliott will be hoping his Better Days Ahead and Stellar Story can run big races too.

PA

Ballyburn destroyed them all in last year’s Ballymore – and is red-hot fav for the Brown Advisory[/caption]

DO DO: Back a horse that has finished at least second in a Grade 2 over fences. Stick with runners that had just one season as a hurdler.

HOODOO: It’s almost 30 years since a mare won and swerve any horse that wasn’t first or second last time.

2.40 Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (ITV/Racing TV)
2m5f

One of the hardest races of the week to solve, with 26 revved-up runners going to post.

There hasn’t been a winning favourite in this race since 2020, so you either think it’s due one or you follow the trend!

Skelton has won the past two runnings with Langer Dan and heads the market again with Be Aware.

DO DO: Consider outsiders as 50-1, 33-1 and 28-1 shots have scored since 2019. Look for horses that have finished in the first four at a past Festival.

HOODOO: Only one favourite has won in two decades. Willie Mullins has won this once but from 50 runners.

3.20 Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (ITV/Racing TV)
3m5½f

A handicap for the first time this year and a race that has been won by some legends in the past.

Totally unique, the runners and riders will weave their way all over the Cheltenham tracks, taking in banks as well as jumps.

Cromwell’s Stumptown was a brilliant winner here in December but Elliott loves this race and his team will be headed by Galvin.

DO DO: Back horses that have run over this course at least once already this season. Gordon Elliott and JP McManus both have an excellent record.

HOODOO: Horses younger than eight tend to struggle. Paul Nicholls and Willie Mullins have drawn a blank despite firing plenty of darts.

4.00 BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase (ITV/Racing TV)
2m

The feature race on day two is odds-on to go the way of Nicky Henderson with Jonbon.

However, his Cheltenham record leaves a lot to be desired and its the Irish challenge including Marine Nationale, Solness and two-time champ Energumene who will take him on.

DO DO: Look for horses that have won at the Cheltenham Festival before. No more than three runs earlier in the season and sent off no bigger than 6-1.

HOODOO: Nine of the past 12 odds-on favourites have been beaten. A fall or unseat this season is another major negative.

4.40 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (ITV/Racing TV)
2m

Blink and you’ll miss this ferocious chase over the minimum trip.

The last favourite to win was in 2020 and the winning SPs since have been 14-1, 28-1, 22-1 and 12-1, so it could pay to think outside the box here.

DO DO: Stick with horses no older than nine, with most winners having run at the Festival before. Good Cheltenham form is a major pointer.

HOODOO: Favourites have a modest record and only two of the past 20 won last time out. Horses with more than nine runs over fences struggle.

5.20 Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Racing TV)
2m½f

You might wonder what a flat race for jumps horses is doing at Cheltenham, but this contest is a signpost to greatness.

A great punting test where big-price runners often come to the fore, Mullins has tended to dominate this and does so again this year with a load at the head of the market, including Copacabana and Paul Townend’s choice, Gameofinches.

DO DO: Stick with Willie Mullins who has trained the winner 13 times. Irish trainers have taken 25 of the past 32 runnings and your fancy must have won last time ou.

HOODOO: Cue Card was the last four-year-old to win, your fancy must have run in more than one bumper heading here.

Templegate’s day two summary

Plenty more hotpots with Final Demand, Ballyburn and Jonbon all set to line up. I could see at least one of those being turned over with Jonbon perhaps the most vulnerable.

Cheltenham Festival day three

All the below races take place on the New Course at Cheltenham. This track tests stamina to the max.

1.20 Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (ITV/Racing TV)
2m1f

The Brits have won the past three editions of this race but the Irish head the market this time, with Cromwell’s Sixandahalf.

She’s only raced once over hurdles but was favourite for the Cesarewitch at Newmarket last year before being pulled out on the day.

Keep an eye on all of Mullins’ horses again.

DO DO: Stick with horses aged eight or nine as they have won all nine runnings. A win over 2m2f or further is a major plus as is making your debut in France.

HOODOO: Nicky Henderson has fired 13 darts without a win yet, while horses that rain in a point-to-point also have a modest record.

2.00 Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (ITV/Racing TV)
2m4½f

A new race for 2025 which will surely prove very hard to predict.

JP McManus’ Jagwar, a winner at Cheltenham on Trials Day, heads the volatile market at 11-2.

DO DO: Stick with horses that finished in the first two last time out. Just one win over fences is ideal and north of 137 in official ratings.

HOODOO: This hasn’t been a race for outsiders with most winners sent off a single-figure price.

2.40 Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (ITV/Racing TV)
3m

A Cup Final race of sorts for those who have qualified for it throughout the season.

Some crafty race planning will pay off here and you’ll likely need a horse who’s ahead of the handicapper – maybe like Skelton’s Catch Him Derry.

DO DO: Focus on horses that are eight or younger and haven’t won this season. Eight of the past nine winners of this wore a tongue-tie.

HOODOO: You need to have run at least once since the turn of the year and horses older than nine struggle, as do five-year-olds.

3.20 Ryanair Chase (ITV/Racing TV)
2m4½f

A corking renewal of the key intermediate race. Sir Alex will have a good chance with Proktektorat.

But French raider Il Est Francais is an absolutely fascinating runner after his King George runner-up.

Fact To File heads the market for Mullins and JP.

DO DO: Back a course winner that has won at least once over 2m4f. Look for horses that have run well at Cheltenham before and are aged seven to nine.

HOODOO: Runners without a Grade 1 win on their CV can be swerved as can any horse making their course debut. Ten-year-olds and over struggle.

4.00 Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (ITV/Racing TV)
3m

Can defending champ Teahupoo regain his crown? The market seems to think so with him a rock-solid evens chance at the moment.

Mind you, O’Brien’s Home By The Lee is getting better with age while Hendo’s Lucky Place is a very interesting addition.

AFP

Teahupoo is the one they all have to beat in the Stayers’ Hurdle[/caption]

DO DO: Back a horse aged six to eight with the Cleeve Hurdle becoming a decent pointer to this race. A past win or place at the Festival is a major plus and stick with second-season hurdlers.

HOODOO: No five-year-old has ever won and horses out of the first two last time have a poor record. Horses out of the frame in the race before usually struggle.

4.40 TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase (ITV/Racing TV)
2m4½f

Open to non-novices, a key trend the past two years has been the name Ben!

Ben Pauling trained last year’s winner Shakem Up’arry, who was ridden by Ben Jones – while the year before Ben Harvey rode Seddon to glory at 20-1.

DO DO: Look for a horse that has won at Cheltenham already this season, with runners aged six to nine having the best record. Last-time out winners do well.

HOODOO: Horses carrying more than 11st 4lb have struggled lately as have horses coming back from more than three months off the track.

5.20 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase (Racing TV)
3m2f

The Jonjo O’Neill-trained Johnnywho has been smashed for this after top amateur jockey Derek O’Connor confirmed he would take the ride.

This race can serve as a guide to potential Gold Cup and Grand National runners.

DO DO: Look for a horse aged between seven and nine as they fare much the best. Derek O’Connor is the jockey to watch. A top-three finish last time does no harm.

HOODOO: Horses carrying less than 11st have a modest record as do those aged older than nine. 

Templegate’s day three summary

Thursday’s action has a much more open look to it. Defending Stayers’ Hurdle winner Teahupoo is a short price but needs some juice in the ground. The Ryanair Chase also looks up for grabs with no standout horse in the line-up – many of them are top, top class.

Cheltenham Festival day four

1.20 JCB Triumph Hurdle (ITV/Racing TV)
2m1f

The race for the best four-year-olds around and a race Mullins has won for the past three years.

His best chance this year is Lady Vega Allen at around 14s, while the market is headed by Henderson’s Lulamba and Brit trainer James Owen’s East India Dock.

DO DO: Back a horse that started their career in France. Last-time-out winners have a good record as do Irish-trainer horses. Willie Mullins has won four of the past five.

HOODOO: Horses who didn’t run in a Graded race last time struggle as do winners of the Adonis Hurdle (Mambonumberfive this year).

2.00 William Hill County Handicap Hurdle (ITV/Racing TV)
2m1f

Can Mullins go back-to-back in this with brilliant dual purpose performer Absurde?

It’s not impossible given the weight he has been allocated by the handicapper – and the trainer has three of the top four in the market.

DO DO: Follow Willie Mullins who has won seven times since 2010, while Dan Skelton has four victories from the past nine runnings. Five and six-year-olds hold sway.

HOODOO: Nine-year-olds and older have a mountain to climb and it’s tough to win this with more than 11st 1lb on your back.

2.40 Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase (ITV/Racing TV)
2m4½f

Mullins and Cromwell control the market for this, but it’s the former who has the market leader in the shape of Dinoblue.

She comes attached with risk, though, after losing out to Cromwell’s Limerick Lace last year having been sent off 15-8 fav.

DO DO: All four runnings so far have gone to Ireland and they also won last time out. Three runs in the season seems to be key with at least one Graded win on the CV.

HOODOO: All the winners were from near the head of the market but we’re still waiting for our first winning favourite.

3.20 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (ITV/Racing TV)
3m

After some chopping and changing at the declarations stage it’s Henry de Bromhead’s mare The Big Westerner who lines up as fav here.

French horse Jet Blue has been backed while Challow Hurdle runner-up Wendigo has been smashed from 50-1 to 9-1.

DO DO: Look for horses aged six or seven that finished in the first four last time out. Irish trainers have won seven of the past nine runnings. Placed form at Graded level is a must.

HOODOO: Horses that ran on the Flat struggle as do five-year-olds. Gordon Elliott and Nicky Henderson have a surprisingly poor record.

4.00 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (ITV/Racing TV)
3m2½f

The feature race of the week – and we could see history be made with Galopin Des Champs.

The best stayer of his generation, arguably the best jumper of his generation and, possibly, the next name in the history books.

Mullins’ monster is going for a hat-trick of Gold Cups and is 1-2 to do so.

PA

Galopin Des Champs will be the banker of the week for many in the Gold Cup[/caption]

DO DO: Stick with horses aged seven to nine that won last time out. A past win or place at the Cheltenham Festival is important with Willie Mullins having a fantastic recent record.

HOODOO: The last 10-year-old or older to win was Cool Dawn in 1998 with only one nine-year-old in the past decade. The King George, Betfair Chase and Cotswold Chase runners have a very poor record.

4.40 St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase (ITV/Racing TV)
3m2½f

Might we see some real star power in this race courtesy of Geri Haliwell and husband Christian Horner?

While currently a 33-1 longshot, Lift Me Up won at Warwick when last seen and could give the A-list couple a great day out.

DO DO: Last year’s winner Sine Nominee was the first aged less than 10 in more than a decade. Finishing in the first three last time is a key pointer as is finishing in the first five in this race last season.

HOODOO: Six-year-olds struggle as do 12-year-olds and over. Running in a point-to-point last time is a negative as is being British bred.

5.20 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (Racing TV)
2m4½f

The Festival goes out with a bang in a race with cult status that has thrown up some future superstars including Galopin Des Champs and Banbridge.

Mullins’ Kopeck De Mee could be the gamble of the week.

He has arrived from France having never run in Britain or Ireland – and the handicapper has been all but helpless in trying to give him an accurate mark.

DO DO: Look for horses in the first three last time who have run in a Graded hurdle before. No more than eight hurdles runs in their career with five and six-year-olds have a strong record.

HOODOO: David Pipe has a poor record in the race named after his dad with no wins from 23 runners. Eight-year-olds and over are yet to win as are horses with less than 11st on their back.

Templegate’s day four summary

Galopin Des Champs can join the greats by winning a third Cheltenham Gold Cup. We should also see one of the clashes of the whole Festival when Lulamba takes on East India Dock in the Triumph Hurdle.

FREE BETS – GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS

Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org.

---

Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chases their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org

Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.

An artist specialised in GPS drawings made it his mission to recreate Nintendo’s beloved mascot for Mario Day, by journeying around Paris.

Whole life orders are the most severe punishment available in the UK criminal justice system for those who commit the most serious crimes.

Ultimately, trans women need safe spaces too.