Premier League teams have not played their sixth league matches yet, and we already have a managerial casualty.

• Next manager to leave Betting odds

Frank de Boer was shown the door at Crystal Palace ludicrously early, but it still looks probable there will be another sacking before long.

The boards at these clubs too frequently make misjudgements in their appointments, and often leave it to the point of crisis before pulling the trigger. Yes, it’s a natural process in sport, and ‘results-based business’ will be regurgitated with painful regularity whenever anyone loses their job, but the lack of direction from many clubs in this multi-billion pound industry is puzzling.

The leader in 888sport’s sack race market is Slaven Bilic. The West Ham boss has been under almost constant pressure for the last 12 months. His price of 15/8 reflects the uncertainty of managerial futures, but the fact he continues to be on the brink says plenty about the Hammers.

He could have gone in the summer, he could have gone a couple of weeks ago, and he definitely could have gone last season. For a variety of reasons he has kept his job. Any replacement would be left with a costly, ageing squad built for Bilic. There’s a feeling of inevitability about Bilic’s departure, but it’s still tough to predict when exactly it will be.

The Hammers currently sit just outside the relegation zone and have failed to score in three of their opening five. Bilic will be hoping for a positive turn of events in the coming months...

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Following Bilic, we have Ronald Koeman. Everton, like the Irons, looked to have had a decent summer window. They are below Bilic’s side on goal difference, and have lost their last three league matches without finding the net.

Koeman is at 5/2 to go next. Fixtures ease up for the Toffees after their challenging start, and the Dutchman will likely be given time to work with a squad that has had a severe overhaul in the last 18 months.

The problems for Everton to date have been fundamental, however. Their previously positive window looks disappointing and Koeman’s hands are loosely tied when it comes to his forward line. Their two marquee additions – Gylfi Sigurdsson and Wayne Rooney – struggle to operate together without a more mobile companion in the final third, for instance.

Everton’s patience with Koeman could well be tested if results do not improve soon. He belongs at longer odds than Bilic, but that may change quickly. The Dutchamn continues to remain positive though...

The next few managers are longshot hopes.

Even after a poor start, it’s hard to see Bournemouth parting company with club icon Eddie Howe any time soon. His price of 10/1 is even tougher to support after back-to-back wins.

Rafael Benitez at 14/1 is similarly unappetising. If he was going to leave Newcastle because of difficulties with Mike Ashley, it would have happened by now. And, surely, even Newcastle wouldn’t sack Benitez. Benitez may leave the Magpies if another Premier League post opens up, but that obviously won’t be enough for that 14/1 to come in.

The only other manager worth considering is Mauricio Pellegrino at 12/1. The Saints have only lost one of their five so far, however, and it would be distinctly un-Southampton to sack Pellegrino this soon into his tenure.

Keep an eye on Jurgen Klopp at 66/1, mind...

Okay, so it’s a bit premature, but we’ve seen managers depart their clubs pretty early in a season previously and we might see that again this year. As the finances rise further in the world’s most lucrative league, the boards’ trigger fingers become all the more sensitive.

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Several of the league’s top bosses are under pressure after last season and many in the midriff of the league are a poor run of form away from the painfully predictable ‘vote of confidence’. Some newly appointed managers could equally end up being handed their P45 in the next few weeks too, especially those at clubs who change managers as frequently as their bed sheets.

Mike Ashley Will Put Rafa Benitez Under Pressure

The favourite to be packing his belongings into a cardboard box is Rafa Benitez. The Spaniard is at 13/4 to be first out of the door, and much of this is backed by the rumours of his discontent with the transfer situation at St James’ Park.

The Magpies have had an underwhelming window to date. Central defender Florian Lejeune, attacking midfielder Jacob Murphy and right-back Javi Manquillo are the main arrivals, but few expect that to be enough to produce sufficient results for an expectant, partisan Geordie faithful.

Benitez has been anticipated to leave the club from almost the day he arrived, mind, and that price looks a little short at the moment. Yes, there’s always turbulence in the northeast, but Benitez has shown staying power that should at least get him to Christmas on their return to the Premier League.

Slaven Bilic And Mark Hughes Are Also In Danger

Second in the running is West Ham’s Slaven Bilic. Bilic was equivalent to a messiah in his debut season in east London, but a poor campaign last time around has him under pressure.

That pressure is cranked up with the hefty investment in readymade players this summer and the 9/2 price suddenly looks pretty good value. Should the Hammers not fire from the off, questions will quickly be asked of one of football’s most likeable men.

In third place in the unwanted sack race, 888Sport has Mark Hughes. Hughes’ Stoke City suffered a down year in 2016/17 as a poor beginning and quiet end to the campaign saw them slump to their lowest league finish in several years and worst in the Hughes era.

A changing of the style at the Bet365 Stadium has been as good as forgotten, and the loss of key man Marko Arnautovic only dampens the mood around the Potteries ahead of the opening weekend. Hughes is 6/1 to be the first manager to depart, which is a price well worthy of attention given Stoke’s tough early fixtures.

Antonio Conte Is Worth Backing At 12/1

The real value in this market, though, is on the Manager of the Year and Champions’ boss, Antonio Conte. Out at 12/1, the Italian appears comfortable odds-wise, but all is not right at Stamford Bridge.

A perilously thin squad, missed transfer targets and a suspicious new contract without an extension have added fuel to an already bright fire that Conte will be gone in the not so distant future.

He has supposedly come close to quitting the club earlier this summer, too, and Chelsea are no strangers to sacking managers soon after great successes... just ask Roberto di Matteo, Carlo Ancelotti and Jose Mourinho.

Aside from the chance to find out which Ladies’ Day hats are visible from space, day three of Royal Ascot gives us the Ascot Gold Cup race – one of the highlights of the racing calendar.

• Bet now on The Royal Ascot

Since 1807 runners and riders from across the world have raced for the Gold Cup prize, and one of the sport’s biggest prize pots – in 2016 a share of £400,000 was up for grabs over the two miles and four furlongs of flat course on the Ascot track.

With more than two centuries of sporting tradition to draw from, we’ve analysed the vital stats of each Gold Cup winner since 1917 to bring you the ultimate pick of the stables.

So if you’ve ever wondered the colour of the Gold Cup’s best-performing horses, or what’s behind those weird and wonderful names, our boffins have calculated the secret to Ascot success.

What’s in a name?

With four wins in a row at the end of the Noughties, and little if any connection to its namesake aside from Irish heritage, Yeats was the clear pick of racing talent at the Gold Cup. But throughout Gold Cup history, we found that Yeats was actually one of the more straightforward names chosen, what with racehorses’ unusual naming convention. Wallaby (1959) and Happy Man (1923) lend even less credence to the idea that there’s any method to the madness.

We split up the winners of each Gold Cup race into categories and found that one theme has produced more success than the rest. Beginning with Tangiers in 1920, right through to last year’s Trip to Paris, it seems that invoking the name of a place is the popular choice of so many winners; with 19 horses in the past century making up almost a fifth of the honour roll.

Vital statistics

Considering the type and colour of the Gold Cup’s winners has also thrown up some interesting results. Although early black-and-white footage of the races makes it deceptively difficult to tell, we’ve been able to find out that when it comes to horse racing, Bay is the colour.

Bay-coloured horses have won 62 of the 99 races we’ve covered – almost two-thirds. More typically described as a range of reddish brown colours, bay horses enjoyed strong periods of dominance in the 1940s, winning eight straight between 1941 and 1948. Bay horses also won 22 out of 29 races between 1981 and 2009 – only the winning chestnut Double Trigger in 1995 stopped that run from including 12 in a row.

Although featuring second-highest in the list, chestnuts like Double Trigger don’t come close to bay’s brilliance, winning only 22 races in our Royal recap. This despite placing first in six races spanning the 1970s and 1980s – though only three different horses crossed the finish line first in this instance.

In assessing the age and gender of the Gold Cup’s finest runners, you can’t dispute the success of the stallion – winning 71 races in the past century due to the rigorous staying demands of the course. Until the 1990s, its dominance was almost absolute. But beginning in 1991 we see a lot more variety in the winning horses, with the six-year old mare Indian Queen taking the honours. Following Drum Taps’ double in 1992 and 1993, it would be ten years before a stallion won again, with Mr Dinos finally restoring a stallion to the Gold Cup winners’ circle in 2003.

Location, location, location

Finally in uncovering our history of Ascot Gold Cup winners, we set out to determine whether or not each jockey’s place of origin had a part to play in guiding their trusty steeds across the winning line. With locations as far flung as the USA and Australia to choose from, we wanted to find the hotbed of horse racing success.

The Republic of Ireland has produced more winners than any other country in the past two decades, with 15 different races going the way of the Emerald Isle and 17 in all. With multiple winners Michael Kinane and Johnny Murtagh joining Kieran Fallon on the win list, Ireland has proved to be the true breeding ground of race talent since the dawn of the millennium. Going further back we see that Berkshire has a strong claim on the most successful jockeying joint – however, further research indicates that 11 of the county’s 15 wins were run by legendary jockey Lester Piggott alone.

The formula of racing form

Combining these findings, we’ve found the secret of Gold Cup success. If Lester Piggott doesn’t happen to be available on the day, your best bet may be to employ an Irish rider. The horse should ideally be a four-year old bay-coloured stallion, with a name that’s descriptive of a location. With these areas covered, you have the formula for an iconic win at this year’s Gold Cup race.

Favourite backers have found it hard to find Grand National winners in recent years but confidence is growing that Vieux Lion Rouge could become the third market leader to prevail at Aintree in the last decade.

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Comply Or Die landed a huge gamble for David Pipe when backed in to 7/1 before obliging in 2008 and the same trainer has the bookies running scared this year.

After finishing seventh in the race 12 months ago, Vieux Lion Rouge (11/1) returned to Liverpool to bag a brave victory over Highland Lodge in December's Becher Chase over the National fences.

The eight-year-old then stayed on strongly to beat Blaklion (14/1) in Haydock's Grand National Trial to further advertise his claims for landing the big one.

Tom Scudamore was in the saddle for both of those victories and said: "He seems to have matured an awful lot this year and I certainly wouldn't be swapping him for anything at this stage.

"The initial thought last year was that he just ran out of stamina but he is a very different horse now. As soon as he won the Becher Chase, to me the National was the obvious race for him.

"He looked beaten jumping the last in the Becher but from the elbow he just ground it out. The further he has gone the better he has gone.

"At Haydock, turning into the straight you would say he had a bit to find with Gas Line Boy and Blaklion but by the time he got to the winning line he was well on top.

"You would like to think the way he finishes his races and the way he kept galloping over three and a half at Haydock last time, that four and a bit will be within his radar."

Scudamore will be making a 16th attempt to break his duck in this race and his father Peter, eight-times champion jockey, failed to come out on top but grandfather Michael did do the business in 1959 on Oxo.

"It would mean an awful lot in so many ways," declared Tom. "Obviously, grandad was lucky enough to win it and to have 'Grand National win' on the CV would be wonderful.

"There are not many things on a Saturday that would take the Premier League football off the back pages of the national papers. It is the main jewel in our crown that gains a worldwide audience and that makes it very special."

Peter Scudamore's best effort in his riding days was third place in 1985 but he will be chasing victory this term with One For Arthur (14/1) as assistant trainer to his partner Lucinda Russell.

This eight-year-old was a close fifth in the Becher Chase and then powered home by six lengths in the 20-runner Classic Chase at Warwick in January.

"Scu plays a big part in the yard but the one thing above all else he has brought is professionalism," said Kinross-based Russell.

"He's worked for all the great trainers and cherry picked the best bits, he's a real perfectionist.

"Everyone knows his record in the National isn't great but he's left no stone unturned in Arthur's prep.

"His form has really stacked up well. I hope he's got the class, he's gone up a lot in the ratings but he's still got a fine weight.

"There's a great buzz about the place, all our horses are very important to us but we have every day mapped out for him, he means a lot to the yard."

Highland Lodge (33/1) didn't have a high enough rating to get a run in last year's contest after winning the 2015 Becher Chase but that isn't a problem after his short-head second to Vieux Lion Rouge this term.

The 11-year-old will return to Aintree fresh as a daisy and his handler Jimmy Moffatt said: "We've had an uninterrupted preparation and the horse seems in very good form.

"He missed the final cut by seven last year and it was quite tough to take at the time. However, we definitely feel he's improved since.

"Whether it was the good summer's grass he had or just that he's taken time to settle into our routine I'm not sure but for whatever reason he's just doing the job a lot better this year.

"We've kept him fresh since the Becher. He doesn't need to go to the races, he's one of those horses that thrives on not going there. For a lot of horses, mileage is a negative and he's one of them."

Victory for Highland Lodge would also be an emotional tale, with jockey Henry Brooke recovering from a heavy fall at Hexham in early October that left him in a coma after suffering nine broken ribs and a punctured lung.

Owners Simon and Julie Wilson also tragically lost their teenage son Patrick from a brain tumour last year.

"The last day Patrick went racing was when Highland Lodge won the Becher and he led the horse into the winner's enclosure - you can imagine how emotional it is for everyone involved," added Moffatt.

Saphir Du Rheu (20/1) was a Grade One novice chase winner at Aintree's Grand National festival two years ago and has returned to form this year with a 15-length strike at Kelso and then fifth place in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Trainer Paul Nicholls knows what it takes to win this race after being successful with Neptune Collenges in 2012 and owner Andy Stewart is excited to be heading to Merseyside with a live chance.

"It's the most amazing race, 870 million people watch it in over 140 countries," he said. "It is the most watched sporting event in the world, even ahead of the World Cup.

"To have a horse with a chance is great, Saphir is a few pounds well-in now, he wasn't beaten far in the Gold Cup and he's won a Grade One at Liverpool.

"After that, Paul said he was a Gold Cup horse but he'd been disappointing for a couple of years. The win up at Kelso did him the world of good and he must have a good chance.

"We expected him to be beaten about 20 lengths in the Gold Cup, so to be only beaten six and a bit exceeded expectations.

"He's got a reasonable weight and he's come out of Cheltenham flying. The betting says he has a leading chance and we've aimed at the race, we aren't running just so Paul has a chance of being champion trainer.

"It's a national institution so to be going there with a good chance is why you get involved in racing."

Definitly Red (12/1) is another leading fancy after he beat last year's National runner-up The Last Samurai (16/1) by 14 lengths at Doncaster soon after the weights were announced.

“Definitly Red is fine and is in great form," beamed trainer Brian Ellison. "He has done nothing wrong all season. He is 10lb well-in for the Grand National and if he takes to the fences we are very hopeful of a good run."

Trevor Hemmings enjoyed a third National success with Many Clouds in 2015 and, after losing that horse in January, he snapped up the Nicholls-trained Vicente (20/1).

"I’ve trained a number of winners for Trevor, who is an enthusiastic owner, loves the race and enjoys having a runner in it every year," said Nicholls.

“He liked the profile of Vicente, who won the Scottish Grand National last season, and is at his best in the spring.”

Rule The World gave Ireland a first triumph since 2007 when romping home 12 months ago and the Emerald Isle's best hope this time could be three-time Cheltenham Festival hero Cause Of Causes (14/1) for Gordon Elliott.

However, nothing can be ruled out, as the last decade has thrown up a 100/1 shock, a 66/1 upset, a trio of 33/1 winners and two more at 25/1.

Jim Beaumont and Douglas Pryde owned the 66/1 stunner Auroras Encore in 2013 and are back hunting more glory with Maggio (33/1), trained in Ireland by Patrick Griffin.

"Even four years on, it's hard to believe it happened," declared Pryde. "I'm still dining out on it now!"

Maggio won a supporting race on the National card 12 months ago and Beaumont added: "We're looking forward to going back to Aintree, there'll be a lot of excitement again.

"Last year, he was very impressive on the same day and if he'd got in the National he might have won it in that form - he was very impressive."

The Last Samuri

A great run from The Last Samuri in the 2016 National saw him finish in second place. He warmed up for this race by running second in the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster. Carrying top-weight may curtail his chances this year.

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More Of That

More of That finished sixth in the Gold Cup, beaten just under 10 lengths in what was his best effort since switching to fences following his 2014 Festival triumph. “The best horse I have ever trained” says Jonjo O’Neill.

Shantou Flyer

He finished second behind Cue Card in the Ascot Chase in February. The seven-year-old is owned by Birkdale businessman, Carl Hinchy.

Perfect Candidate

Perfect Candidate advertised his National claims with an all-the-way win at Exeter in February. He bypassed the Gold Cup in favour of this race.

Saphir Du Rheu

A classy runner who may go well in the Grand National especially as he came out of the Gold Cup in good form. He appears to be in love with the chasing game again.

Roi Des Francs

He has never fallen or unseated and has only pulled up once in his career. He recently recorded a victory at Down Royal in the Daily Mirror Chase.

Wounded Warrior

Last year’s winner Rule The World was soundly beaten at Naas by Wounded Warrior back in January 2015 but the eight-year-old has shown very little since.

Wonderful Charm

He finished second in the Foxhunter's Chase at Cheltenham and is clearly in good heart. Katie Walsh takes the ride.

Tenor Nivernais

Tenor Nivernais put in an exhibition round from the front to score for the first time this campaign in the Keltbray Swinley Chase. Probably needs the ground much softer in all honesty.

Blaklion

He was second in the Grand National Trial and is clearly a top class horse. The eight-year-old has already amassed £214K in prize money.

Drop Out Joe

Drop Out Joe has been absent from the track since landing a valuable staying prize at Uttoxeter in June. He finished 9th in the 2015 Scottish Grand National.

Le Mercurey

Le Mercurey finished second to Many Clouds over regulation fences at Aintree back in December and also chased home Native River in the Denman Chase.

The Young Master

He is ridden by Sam Waley-Cohen, the amateur jockey who has an enviable record around Aintree. The eight-year-old will have to put some very poor runs behind though him to figure in this.

Cause Of Causes

Gordon Elliott's Cause Of Causes picked up to lead at the final obstacle and galloped up the hill for a nine-length success in the Cross-Country Chase at Cheltenham. A reproduction of that run will make him a leading player here.

Regal Encore

Regal Encore has been schooling over Lambourn's National fences in the lead up to this race. It is hard to get excited about a horse that has pulled up six times out of his last eight runs however.

Vieux Lion Rouge

He won the Becher Chase over the National fences and the Grand National Trial at Haydock. He finished in 7th place last year as a seven-year-old so it remains to be seen if his stamina holds out a year on.

Definitly Red

Definitly Red’s odds were slashed for the Grand National after he cruised home in the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster. Prior to that he won the Rehearsal Chase and the Rowland Meyrick Chase. Will have to prove he stays this trip however.

Ucello Conti

Trainer Gordon Elliott sees Ucello Conti as his best chance to win the race he first won back in 2007 with Silver Birch. Ran a blinder in the Becher Chase and the Leinster National. He looks sure to improve on last year’s 6th place.

Double Shuffle

Won back in December at Kempton and then returned in February, just going down by half a length in the BetBright Handicap Chase.

Houblon Des Obeaux

An experienced chaser who is saddled by Grand National winning trainer, Venetia Williams. He ran well when finishing fourth in the Midlands Grand National in March.

Pleasant Company

Dual National-winning jockey Ruby Walsh rides Willie Mullins' Bobbyjo Chase winner Pleasant Company. He has run just 13 times under rules and has done most of his winning on soft ground.

One For Arthur

He was most impressive in the Classic Chase at Warwick in January. One For Arthur will be bidding to become Scotland's second National winner following Rubstic in 1979.

Ballynagour

Pulled up on his last three runs and has not showed any sparkle of old. Probably better to look elsewhere.

O'Faolains Boy

Has reportedly had a wind-op but this will need to work wonders if he is to put his bad recent form behind him.

Highland Lodge

He finished second in the Becher Chase over the National fences in December and is expected to put up a bold show.

Bishops Road

Won the Grand National Trial last season and certainly has plenty of stamina.

Lord Windermere

Won the coveted Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2014 but has struggled to recapture that form since.

Saint Are

Has run at Aintree a total of 11 times now and is somewhat of a Grand National veteran. Davy Russell is an interesting booking.

Vicente

Vicente was the winner of the 2016 Scottish Grand National and finished 6th in the Coral Welsh National in December. Scottish Grand National form has been key in recent years.

Just A Par

Finished 15th in the 2016 Grand National and bounced back to form recently at Newbury.

Measureofmydreams

Lightly raced and may lack the necessary experience needed to get around the National fences. He usually needs heavy ground to figure.

Raz De Maree

Winner of two Cork National’s and a Munster National, this twelve-year-old certainly knows how to run well in a stamina test. His second to Native River in the Welsh National is excellent form.

Stellar Notion

This season he has notched up two seconds, a third and a fourth place and could run well at big odds here. Last year’s winning jockey, David Mullins, takes the ride.

Pendra

Finished in second place at Cheltenham in the Kim Muir Challenge Cup and ran 13th in this race last year.

Rogue Angel

Won the Irish Grand National last year but has struggled to recapture that form. Ran reasonably well in the Thyestes Chase last time out which was encouraging.

Cocktails At Dawn

Has been out of form for almost two years and he is on the lowest mark of his career now. Can he exploit it?

Thunder And Roses

Won the Irish Grand National in 2015 and was second in the BobbyJo chase earlier this season.

Gas Line Boy

Finished fourth to Vieux Lion Rouge in the Grand National Trail at Haydock in February. Fell on his only run in this race in 2015.

Goodtoknow

Kerry Lee’s runner probably needs the heavens to open to have any whiff of a chance of winning this marathon.

La Vaticane

This looks a real tall order for the grey mare. The eight-year-old finished eighth in last year’s Topham Chase so at least she has experienced the fences.

Bravery (20/1) made a dream start to his career with David O'Meara as he denied Ryan Moore a four-timer on Oh This Is Us in the Lincoln Handicap on Saturday afternoon.

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Danny Tudhope switched across the track from his high draw of 20 to go right across to the far side aboard the four-year-old colt, who was fourth in last season’s Irish 2000 Guineas when trained by Aidan O'Brien.

It proved to be an astute decision as Bravery, who was bought for 44,000 guineas at the Tattersalls Sales, showed his class by denying Oh This Is Us by a neck to spoil an apparent gamble on the 7-2 favourite.

Bookmakers claimed to have saved themselves millions of pounds with Bravery’s victory, feeling they had dodged a bullet when Ryan Moore was beaten by a neck after riding the first three winners on the Doncaster card. Moore’s treble was already returning accumulative odds of 575-1 at that stage and Oh This Is Us was quickly gambled into 7/2 from around 7/1. The four-timer would have netted any lucky punters a 2591/1 return.

Tudhope reported back saying: "The key to this horse is just to get him to switch off as he can be a bit keen in his races."

O'Meara said: "He travelled well. He's run as far as a mile and a half in Ireland so it was a bit of a guessing game whether a mile would be too sharp for him.

"He ran well in a lot of good races in Ireland so this would be a drop in class for him.

"I'm really happy with him. It's great."

***

Patricia Thompson, who owns Cheveley Park Stud along with husband David went on a spending spree this week buying two horses that will be running in the Randox Grand National this coming Saturday, those being Le Mercurey and Highland Lodge.

Thompson famously bought the Nick Gaselee-trained Party Politics just days before the Aintree marathon and she will be targeting similar success with these two buys.

Le Mercurey, trained by Paul Nicholls, finished second to Many Clouds at Aintree back in December and also chased home Native River in the Denman Chase, before most recently finishing third in his prep race at Kelso.

The Cartmel-trained Highland Lodge was sold to the Thompson’s by Simon Wilson. It came just days after they bought Le Mercurey . Highland Lodge will remain with Moffatt at his Pit Farm Stables yard.

Jimmy Moffatt's horse won the 2015 Becher Chase over the National fences was just beaten into second for the renewal in December, when David Pipe’s Vieux Lion Rouge pipped him at the post by a short-head, denying horse and trainer a historic double.

Moffatt said: "The deal went through this week. The horse is in great form and passed a two-hour medical on Thursday - the vet thought he looked tremendous and it's very exciting to train for Mr and Mrs Thompson.

"Simon and Julie (Wilson) have sold him outright. They have been with me since 2006 and have been wonderfully supportive. They wish Mr and Mrs Thompson all the luck in the world. Both parties are very happy.

"I think the world of him and his back-to-back Becher form looks rock solid."

Henry Brooke will keep the partnership with the horse, with Moffatt adding: "Mr and Mrs Thompson are delighted to secure the services of our big-race jockey. The horse is straightforward, touch wood he is great but we can't get carried away, we've got a job to do between now and then. He's done all his major work."

***

Merseyrail revealed its plans this week to run a limited Grand National service when staff walk out on strike next Saturday.

Merseyrail said that if the RMT decided to call off the strike later than April 5 as part of a “political tactic to act as the saviour of the Grand National travelling public,” there will not be enough time to get the normal service up and running and restore all of the original security, emergency service cover and logistical support which go with such a major event.

John Baker, Aintree Racecourse’s managing director, added: “We’ve been extremely encouraged that by working closely together with Merseyrail, Merseytravel and other transport providers we are doing everything possible to ensure racing fans will be transported effectively on Grand National day with as little disruption as possible.”

People travelling to Aintree on Grand National are advised to take note of the following limited and revised service details:

• 7½-minute service to Aintree from Liverpool Central between 11.15 and 13.30, calling at Moorfields only.
• 7½-minute service from Aintree to Liverpool Central between 17.30 and 19.15, calling at Moorfields only.
• 15-minute service to Aintree from Liverpool Central between 10.00 and 11.00, calling at Moorfields only.
• 15-minute service from Aintree to Liverpool Central between 16.30 and 17.30, and between 19.15 and 21.00, calling at Moorfields only.
• Rail replacement buses to run from Ormskirk to Old Roan from 10.30 till 14.00, stopping at Maghull only. Buses to run from Old Roan to Ormskirk from 16.30 till 20.00, stopping at Maghull only.
• Six departures from Southport to Liverpool Central (09.22, 09.37, 09.52, 10.42, 10.57 and 11.12). There are no services to Southport in the morning.
• Five departures from Liverpool Central to Southport (19.08, 19.23, 19.38, 20.30 and 20.45). There are no services from Southport in the evening.

***

Top jump jockeys (last 7 days): R.Winks (3/4), Jsh Moore (4/8), S.Bowen (3/7), S.Twiston-Davies (5/13), A.Coleman (5/15), N.Fehily (4/14).

Top jump trainers (last 7days): J.O’Neill (4/9), P.Hobbs (4/14), N.Henderson (3/13), G.Moore (3/14), D.Skelton (4/19).

Having taken over the mantle as the world's best racehorse from California Chrome, Arrogate proved that he totally deserves that accolade after grinding out a gutsy win in the Dubai World Cup on Saturday.

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Sent off the long odds-on favourite after wins in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and Pegasus World Cup Invitational, Bob Baffert’s four-year-old appeared to have completely blown his chance when he got off to a slow start as the gates went back.

However, jockey Mike Smith kept his calm, finding a path on the far outside and waiting until the half-mile pole to begin running down the leaders.

Gun Runner appeared to have stolen a march on the field but Smith asked Arrogate for another gear and he found it, bounding clear to give trainer Bob Baffert a third win in the race.

"That was 'Plan F'!," said Baffert. "But that's the best I've ever seen in my life, it's unbelievable.

I guess he knew where he was but it just goes to show you how great this horse is, he's just a great horse. Mike did a great job, he didn't panic."

He's just amazing. I've never ridden a horse like this," added jockey Smith.

Arrogate’s connections, with owner Prince Khalid Abdullah, took home a cool $6 million first prize from the $10 million pot for the Dubai World Cup, making Arrogate the highest earning racehorse in history.

***

Amateur rider James Ridley was handed a 28-day ban last week when he mistook the winning post at Newbury as Triangular came from nowhere to claim an unlikely victory in the BJP Insurance Brokers Open Hunters' Chase.

At the resulting stewards inquiry, Ridley claimed the half-furlong pole had caused him the confusion, with the stewards ruling he was guilty of failing to ride out on a horse that would have finished first.

Ridley, 27, offered his apologies on Twitter, saying: "Completely gutted for misjudging the winning post today! Sorry for everyone involved #nobodymoreangrythanmyself."

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The popular staying hurdler Reve De Sivola, winner of 10 of his 47 races, collapsed and died after running in the Edinburgh Gin Handicap Hurdle at Kelso on Saturday afternoon.

It was a sad postscript to the race which was won by Lucinda Russell's Big River, beating Seeyouatmidnight by ten lengths.

The Nick Williams-trained 12-year-old pulled up sharply before the final flight and before jockey James Reveley had a chance to dismount, the horse fell to the floor.

Reve De Sivola won the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot three consecutive tomes between 2012 and 2014 and amassed a total of £600,000 in win and place prize-money.

Clerk of the course, Anthea Morshead said: "It was very sad, he suffered an internal bleed and collapsed and died."

The equally as popular 14-year-old Knockara Beau, who won the Premier Hurdle at the course as a novice, was retired after pulling up.

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Sky has taken a majority shareholding in At The Races and the channel is likely to be rebranded as Sky Sports Racing it was revealed at the weekend.

Sky and Arena Racing Company (ARC) have effectively swapped their respective stakes in the company. ARC, which owns 27 courses in Britain, held a 52 per cent interest with Sky holding 48 per cent –this has now flip-flopped.

“We have been long-term partners and investors in At The Races and have decided to strengthen the partnership further, by incrementally increasing our shareholding” a Sky spokesperson said.

Whether the channel will become subscription based remains to be seen but if Sky rebrands the channel and switches the output to HD, it looks like an odds-on chance that this will impact the viewers in the pocket.

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Lady Frankel, a daughter of dual world champion Frankel, duly obliged on her debut run when she won the Prix Calandria at Saint-Cloud last Sunday.

Trained by Andre Fabre, the three-year-old filly was a little green during the race but as the race unfolded Pierre-Charles Boudot pushed her up on the outside of the pack. Once she found her stride she picked up well to lead close home.

It was another welcome success for “Frankel watch”, a band of dedicated Frankel fans who meticulously watch the fortunes of his offspring. He made a big impression with his first crop of two-year-olds last year, registering 18 individual winners worldwide.

Frankel commands a breeding fee of £125,000 and is currently standing at Banstead Manor Stud in Newmarket.

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The 2017 Randox Health Grand National moved a step closer with the news last week that 79 horses still remain entered for the world’s most famous jumps race on April 8.

Minella Rocco, who became the short lived ante-post favourite after his run in the Gold Cup, was a surprise absentee.

Jonjo O'Neill believes that it is too early to let the gelding, who fell on his last trip to Aintree over the Mildmay fences in December, to take his chance in the Grand National.

O'Neill believes his only entry More Of That, who is set to carry 11st5lb, has a great chance of giving him a second victory in the race following the success of Don't Push It in 2010.

Chief Handicapper Phil Smith only expects a handful of horses to be pulled out over the next fortnight and believes those at 50 or above in the list are unlikely to make the line-up.

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This week it was announced that becoming a licenced jockey in the UK will become a much more vigorous process.

The BHA says 30% of jockeys who attend licensing courses never even ride a winner, despite all the money that is spent on training them.

From April 1, apprentice or conditional jockeys applying to attend a course must undergo a pre-licence assessment.

The existing apprentice and conditional courses will be extended from five to ten days "to provide attendees with detailed training on the wide variety of skills required to be a professional jockey" said the BHA.

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Top jump jockeys (last 7 days): D.Cook (3/5), L.Treadwell (3/5), H.Skelton (5/12), S.Bowen (5/13).

Top jump trainers (last 7 days): W.Mullins (4/6), H.Fry (5/9), P.Nicholls (4/9), N.Henderson (4/9).

With more than $30 million on offer across nine races, the Dubai World Cup is the richest race meeting in the world. Five races take place on the dirt, four on the turf, and the climax of the day is the $10 million World Cup itself, which is run over 2000 metres and dates back to 1996 when it was won by the mighty Cigar.

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Here in the UK, the action gets underway at 11.45 am and reaches a crescendo at 4.45 pm. Most of the major horse racing networks will be showing the races so check the television schedules with your local provider.

Let’s take a race-by-race look at the full Meydan card on Saturday afternoon.

11.45 Godolphin Mile 1m

Vying for favouritism is North America.  He has won his last four races, culminating in an easy victory in a Group 3 at Meydan last month. He won a handicap off a rating of 86 and has now reached a current mark of 113.

His market rival and chief threat is Sharp Azteca. Jorge Navarro's runner followed a narrow defeat in a Santa Anita Grade 1 on Boxing Day with an impressive victory in a handicap at Gulfstream and sets the standard here.

12.15 Dubai Kahayla Classic (Arab Race) 1m 2f

Eric Lemartinel is double-handed with RB Burn and RB Dixie Burning as he eyes a second victory in Dubai Kahayla Classic, his last being back in 2008.

AF Mathmoon, winner of the race 12 months ago now runs under Al Raihe’s charge for the first time.

TM Thunder Struck narrowly missed out on winning this race last year and is looking to go one better this time around.

12.50 Dubai Gold Cup 2m

The 14 runners are headed by the first two home from 12 months ago – Vazirabad and Big Orange. The preference is for Vazirabad who  had a prep race coming second, four weeks ago, in the Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy over 2810m.

Ed Dunlop’s Trip To Paris is too big a price to ignore and is worth an each-way interest.

1.25 UAE Derby 1m 1f

Not surprisingly, Godolphin is well represented and responsible for three runners, seemingly headed by Thunder Snow who along with Top Score and Fly At Dawn, will be seeking to give Saeed bin Suroor his eighth victory in the race but the first since 2011.

Mike de Kock who has won the race six times previously saddles Fawree who was unlucky to unseat in the stalls last time out.

2.00 Al Quoz Sprint 5f

Limato won the Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket over 1,200 metres last season and struck again at the top level when stepping up to 1,400 metres in the Prix De La Foret at Chantilly. He could only finish sixth however in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Without question Henry Candy will have him ready for this race.

Ali Rashid Al Raihe appears to have the best chance of sending out a UAE-trained winner on Dubai World Cup night with his runner Ertijaal

2.35 Dubai Golden Shaheen 6f

Jim Crowley is looking to ride Sheikh Hamdan’s dirt sprinter Muarrab more prominently on Saturday in order to regain the trophy they won together twelve months ago.

American sprinters have historically thrived in the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen, especially in the dirt years, and Mind Your Biscuits looks like a live contender for Chad Summers and Joel Rosario.

3.30 Dubai Turf 1m 1f

Richard Fahey’s Ribchesteris well fancied to be able to cope with the extra furlong he will encounter in this race. Drawn in stall one the four-year-old will need to be on his metal to take this.

Alain Royer-Dupre’s well bred Zarak twice got within touching distance of Almanzor last summer and if he runs up to anywhere near that form then he looks the one to beat.

Deauville is a decent price at 14/1 given that he is a Belmont Derby winner and has Ryan Moore assistance.

4.05 Dubai Sheema Classic 1m 4f

Just seven runners go to post but what an competitive renewal it is. Postponed could become the first repeat winner of the $6 million Classic. He came up a neck shy of Godolphin’s Prize Money when returning on March 4th but he should strip fitter for that run and hopefully will get some better luck in running with a more forceful ride.

Jack Hobbs had an injury-plagued season last year but came back well at the backend of the European season.

Ryan Moore believes Highland Reel is a “hell of a price” at a general 9-2 to win the contest. Moore made all on the Aidan O’Brien-trained five-year-old in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot last summer and a similar run is expected on Saturday.

4.45 Dubai World Cup 1m 2f

Arrogate has been incredible since his Travers Stakes victory last year, when he set a stakes and track record, and he followed that up with Breeders Cup Classic and Pegasus World Cup victories. A win here would give him victories in races with the first prize of of six, twelve, and ten million dollars. It appears Bob Baffert has another “horse of a lifetime” on his hands. Arrogate will certainly be going off a prohibitive odds so it may pay to look for some forecast and each-way value elasewhere.

Gold Dream won a Grade 1 at Tokyo last month and could outrun his odds under Joao Moreira.

Keen Ice has not won since the Travers in August 2015, but he keeps run into the places, notably in top quality races like the Breeders Cup Classic and the Pegasus and is the type to be running on late.

Mike De Kock’sMubtaahij was unlucky to run into California Chrome in this race last year and he looks like running into one that is just too good again this time around. If Arrogate was to run below par then this is the horse that is most likely to pick up the pieces.

Horse racing is known as the sport of kings, and British races are as iconic and admired abroad as the country's royal family. Uniquely, however, it is also the sport of the people, and racing in the UK is followed and enjoyed across the board, appealing to fans and enthusiasts from all backgrounds. The English Grand National, one of the most famous horse races in the world, is broadcast around the world and is watched by up to 600 million viewers in 140 countries, while horse racing is second only to football as a spectator sport in the UK, generating over £3.7 million for the national economy. Major fixtures such as the Grand National, the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot are inescapable occasions in the social calendar, whether you're attending in person, having a flutter at your local betting shop or online, or just following the races on radio or TV.

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A historic fixture

Horse racing itself has been a fixture of British life since as far back as the Romans. The rules were codified by the Jockey Club, established in 1750, and England has long been recognised for its thoroughbred racehorses: indeed, the classic racing breed is known as an English Thoroughbred as it was first created on these shores.

Newmarket is known as the home of British horseracing, as it was here that King James I began racing horses in the early 17th century. Royal Ascot was founded in the 1700s, and in 1740 a Parliamentary Act was introduced to restrain and prevent the excessive interest in horse racing. This was unsuccessful, and interest continued to grow, as "the turf" became an integral part of the British way of life.

Two main forms of racing dominate in Britain: Flat Racing, in which there are no obstacles on the course, and National Hunt Racing, in which horses jump hurdles and fences during the race. There is also National Hunt Flat Racing, an obstacle-free race that nevertheless follows National Hunt rules. The British Horseracing Authority oversees all of these events, ensuring that all races, jockeys and horses meet the required standards and handling any disciplinary procedures that may arise.

The Grand National

The English Grand National, held every year at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, is the most famous of all National Hunt races. Held in April every year, it was officially first run in 1839, though the exact beginnings are somewhat shrouded in controversy. This handicap steeplechase consists of two laps around Aintree's left-handed National Course, with a total distance covered of four miles and 514 yards, or 6.907 kilometres.

The course has 16 fences, 14 of which are jumped twice, making a total of 30 hurdles to be overcome. Many of these have become famous in their own right. These include the notorious Becher's Brook, with a 6' 9" drop on the landing side, which jockeys have compared to jumping off the edge of the world. The tallest fence, however, is the Chair at 5' 3" (the actual fence at Becher's Brook is just 4' 10"). Becher's Brook unnerves those approaching due to the drop on the far side being so much greater than the initial jump. With the Chair, the ground on the far side is six inches higher than on the near side, so the effect is of the ground rising up to meet the horse and jockey as they come down.

The Chair and the Water Jump are the only two hurdles that need to be approached just once in the race. Another famous hurdle is the Canal Turn, named for the steep left turn that immediately follows the fence, making it especially difficult to negotiate. As this needs to be jumped twice, it has proved the literal downfall of many horses and their riders.

The Cheltenham Festival

Second only to the Grand National, the Cheltenham Festival in Gloucestershire is particularly popular with Irish stables and racing enthusiasts, and is traditionally held on the week of St Patrick's Day. The four-day event has included at least six races per day since 2005; in 2016, there were 28 races in total. These include the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the Champion Hurdle and the World Hurdle. Like the Grand National, Cheltenham is renowned for its unbeatable atmosphere, heralded by the famed “Cheltenham Roar” that greets the first race of the event.

The festival can trace its beginnings back to 1860 when it met at Market Harborough. It was first held in Cheltenham the following year, but usually met at Warwick Racecourse until 1911, when it established a permanent home at Cheltenham. The Top Jockey award is given to the jockey who wins the most races over the course of the four-day festival. In recent years, this award has been dominated by the great Irish jump jockey Ruby Walsh, who first claimed the prize in 2004, then again in 2006, and then almost every year from 2008 to 2016. The exception was in 2012 when the prize went to Walsh's fellow Irishman Barry Geraghty.

Great British racecourses

The Aintree and Cheltenham racecourses are undoubtedly two of the greatest and most historic courses in the UK, but they are not the only notable ones. Ascot Racecourse is home to nine different Group 1 racing events, including the legendary Ascot Gold Cup and the Royal Ascot Festival. This latter event is regularly attended by Her Majesty the Queen, who considers Ascot her favourite racecourse. The late Queen Mother, on the other hand, was said to prefer Sandown Park, which combines history with state-of-the-art facilities for modern horseracing.

Sixty miles outside of London, Goodwood Racecourse is a classic track where style and glamour are encouraged among the spectators and an exciting race is guaranteed. As noted above, the most historic racecourse in Great Britain is Newmarket, where fixtures have been held since the 1600s. Doncaster and York are notable venues in the north of England, while Hamilton Park in Scotland is the home of Scottish Flat Racing.

Riders and runners

The English jockey Lester Piggott is considered one of the greatest flat-racing jockeys of all time. Piggott first won the Epsom Derby in 1954, and eight further wins followed before his retirement in 1985. His reputation is only bettered by the late Sir Gordon Richards, who won a staggering 4,870 races between 1921 and 1954.

Another great British flat-racing jockey of the early 20th century was Steve Donoghue, declared champion jockey ten times between 1914 and 1923. Fred Archer (1857-1886) is still considered the best all-round jockey ever, despite his early death at the age of 29. Today, Frankie Dettori is widely considered the best current flat-racing jockey.

Arguably, the greatest jump jockey is Northern Irishman Tony McCoy, with 4,358 wins to his name between 1992 and 2015, including the 2010 Grand National. He retired in 2015, and Ruby Walsh is currently the leading jump jockey.

Perhaps the most famous racehorse in the world was Red Rum, an unprecedented three times Grand National winner, in 1973, 1974 and 1977. Though bred in Ireland, Red Rum was trained in Southport by Ginger McCain. The thoroughbred steeplechaser became a national celebrity, a status that endured from his retirement in 1978 to his death in 1995. Another iconic British racehorse, Desert Orchid, was never entered for the Grand National, but won 34 of his 70 starts between 1983 and 1991.

The world's greatest steeplechase

The English Grand National at Aintree is renowned as the world's greatest steeplechase. Though other countries have their iconic races, the Grand National is regarded as one of the toughest tests for horse and rider in terms of stamina, courage and skill. The course is so notoriously difficult that just completing it is a major achievement. Many horses fall at one of the 30 hurdles along the way, and the winning horse and jockey are fully deserving of the accolades that come their way.

Horseracing in Britain is also unmistakably a great social event. A day out at any of the major meets is one to remember, with first-class food, drink, hospitality and people-watching all on offer as well as the actual races. Tickets are much sought after, and even the television cameras linger on the great and the good in the stands before the race in question begins.

Although a day at the races isn't cheap, it's open to all, and the ordinary enthusiast may find themselves rubbing shoulders with celebrities and aristocracy. It's important to dress well and to do it in style, but the great English eccentric is as welcome as the impeccably tailored man about town. Visitors to the UK love events such as the Grand National as a way to experience the Great Britain that they've always imagined and hoped to see, as well as a way to see some of the greatest racing that the country, and in fact the world, has to offer.

Limato is favourite for the big race on the final day of Royal Ascot, the Diamond Jubilee Stakes - do our expert panel see him being beaten?

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