The four-day York Ebor Festival starts on Wednesday of this week and runs through until Saturday. It is one of Britain’s leading summer festivals and features three top-class Group One contests and culminates with the ultra-competitive Ebor Handicap over 1m 6f on the fourth and final day.

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Here is guide to what you can expect to see this week on the Knavesmire:

Wednesday

The opening day of the Ebor Festival is named Juddmonte International Day after the showpiece event, the Juddmonte International. The Juddmonte is a Group One over 1m2f for horses aged three years and older and is renowned for bringing together the Classic generation with their elders.

It has become routine for dominant Guineas’ and Derby victors to tackle the older crop in the Juddmonte.  The race is regarded as one of the very best middle-distance contests of the summer, adding further importance to the first day of the meeting.

This year’s Juddmonte International is being billed as a “clash of the titans” by many and the race should really live up to its star billing from what we have seen from the main protagonists already this season.

Barney Roy and Churchill share favouritism after featuring among 14 confirmations for Wednesday’s renewal.

Aidan O'Brien's 2000 Guineas hero Churchill will be having his first run over ten furlongs as he bids to put a lacklustre performance behind Barney Roy in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot behind him.

The pair top the betting but are closely followed by the Sir Michael Stoute’s Ulysses who got home by just a nose from Barney Roy in the Eclipse, and has since finished second behind Enable in the King George at Ascot.

The Great Voltigeur Stakes also plays a major role in the horse racing action on the Ebor meeting’s opening day. As a Group Two race over 1m 4f for three-year-old colts and geldings, the Great Voltigeur is a mid-summer alternative to the Epsom Derby.

Leading fancy Capri is not a certain runner on Wednesday, Aidan O'Brien told reporters on Sunday.

The John Gosden trained Cracksman who was third in the Derby at Epsom and second in the Irish equivalent shortened in price when news of Capri’s possible absence filtered through.

Thursday

Day two marks Ladies’ Day at York racecourse as the Yorkshire Oaks and Lowther Stakes dominate the afternoon’s racing.

Enable faces just eight rivals in the Yorkshire Oaks and she is the heavy odds-on favourite to take it.

The English and Irish Oaks heroine beat the boys in style in last month's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes and will be aiming to clinch her fourth Group One success of the season en-route to a tilt at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at the beginning of October.

Newbury winner Madeline has been installed as the marginal 3-1 favourite for the Lowther Stakes in front of 7-2 shot Happy Like A Fool.

The Roger Varian-trained filly is one of 15 entries for the Group Two at the forfeit stage, with Goodwood winner Threading being supplemented along with Wesley Ward’s Queen Mary Stakes runner-up Happy Like A Fool at a cost of £15,000 each.

Aidan O’Brien has four entries and Actress, who was third in the Phoenix Stakes, comes in as his most fancied runner.

Friday

The third afternoon of the Ebor meeting is centred around the sprinters, and the Group One Nunthorpe Stakes for horses aged two and older. The contest is a blistering five-furlong sprint that is regarded as one of the strongest races in the division.

The fastest race of the week, the Coolmore Nunthorpe, is the target for Lady Aurelia and she is set to clash with Battaash, the impressive winner of the King George Stakes at the Goodwood Festival.

Clive Cox’s Profitable and Priceless are both aiming to cause an upset against the two ante-post principles in the betting.

Bought by Godolphin in the off-season, Profitable has been super game this term, finishing second in France, at Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood.

Sir Mark Prescott's flying filly Marsha will be hoping to prove that this race is certainly not just a matchup between Lady Aurelia and Battaash.

Marsha looked like taking the sprinting world by storm when winning the Palace House under a penalty back in May and since then she has run well in defeat.

She will be 1lb better off with Battaash at York following her fast-finishing third behind him at Goodwood and should not be ruled out.

Saturday

The last day of the Ebor meeting sees the week’s showpiece event, and Europe’s richest handicap, the Ebor Handicap headlines a hugely competitive card. Raced over 1m 6f, the race brings together a number of Britain and Ireland’s best staying handicappers as they do battle for a share of the £285,000 prize-purse.

York Racecourse chairman Lord Grimthorpe said: “York is delighted that our continued commercial success in the first half of the season has allowed us to keep investing in the prize money, facilities and experience of racing at York.

"The Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival is our flagship meeting and we look forward to welcoming the racegoers and supporters to York to see the world’s best horses and jockeys competing on the Knavesmire.

"It already looks set to be a fabulous four days of racing action. Our continued thanks to our supporters and sponsors who help us to invest in racing at York.” 

The Great St. Wilfrid Handicap is a flat race handicap run over a distance of six furlongs at Ripon racecourse.

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The race derives its name from the patron saint of Ripon, St. Wilfrid. In fact the winning owner receives a trophy which depicts St. Wilfrid on horseback.

Ripon has hosted some of the most exciting, prestigious and enjoyable racing in the country for more than 300 years and this is the most notable race on their calendar.

Plenty Of Prize Money On Offer

It is also the most valuable raceday of the season at Yorkshire’s ‘Garden Racecourse’ with total prize money of £150,000 up for grabs. The meeting also includes the fifth running of The Silver Trophy, a £20,000, ‘consolation’ race for the horses entered but unable to get into the feature race.

James Hutchinson, Managing Director and Clerk of the Course is looking forward to Saturday.

"It's one of our highlights of the season and something we build up to over a period with huge excitement," he revealed.

"For the past six years the race has been won by Yorkshire trainers and the field is set to be full of talented Yorkshire sprinters once again."

Last year’s contest was won by Nameitwhatyoulike who is entered again and set to challenge for back to back wins.

Trainer Bryan Smart said: “He is in good order and working well at home, he loves the track at Ripon so we are hopeful he will run a good race”.

Here are some key trends and statistics from the last fifteen runnings of the race.

• Only five favourites have won since 1990 which is an ominous trend for Growl to overcome.
• 12/15 winners did not win last time out. The only runner this applies to this year is Flying Pursuit.
• 13/15 were previous winners at six furlongs.
• 10/15 won at a double-figured S.P
• 10/15 carried 8st 12lb or more to victory. Ten runners qualify under this criteria.
• 9/15 had raced five times or more that season. Shanghai Glory, Mattmu, Nameitwhatyoulike, Right Touch, George Dryden and Hoofalong do not have those five runs.
• No winner has come from stall one in the last eleven years. That’s bad news for Kachy supporters.
• All winning horses since 1986 have been priced at 20/1 or below.
• 7/11 winners have come from stalls 8 to 13 inclusive. Backers of Eastern Impact, Mattmu, Naadirr, Nameitwhatyoulike, Robero and Flying Pursuit will be happy with their draw positions.

Some of the contenders:

Bryan Smart is hopeful Nameitwhatyoulike can be in the mix again.

The eight-year-old is now 1lb lower in the handicap than when successful last season having struggled to find his form in 2017 Three of his four runs have been in pattern races however so this race should be somewhat easier on paper.

Tony Coyle is fairly sweet on his runner Snap Shots who is quite a big price in horse racing odds.

Coyle said of his five-year-old last month: "I think Snap Shots is still improving. He's a big frame of a horse. There was a question mark if he'd go on soft ground, but he just got beat at Haydock on soft," said Coyle.

"He was unlucky at the Curragh. It was one of those things.

"Hopefully he can bang in a big one by the end of the year. He's a good horse.

"Snap Shots will go for the Great St Wilfrid or the silver consolation if he doesn’t get in. He loves Ripon."

Snap Shots won a six furlong handicap sprint at Ripon last August so the signs are positive.

Out Do Can Repeat 2014 Triumph

Out Do won this year’s Wokingham Handicap at the Royal Ascot meeting and was the winner of this race in back in 2014. On his last run he was just 3¾ lengths behind the classy Take Cover in City Walls Stakes at York.

David O’Meara’s record in this race is excellent, sending out the winner in 2011 and 2012 as well as 2014.

Yorkshire trainer Ruth Carr is very much in form at the moment and her seven-year-old Pipers Note has been a model of consistency in his recent runs.

He has finished in the first four places in his last five outings including a decent run at Ascot just last Saturday. He will certainly have plenty of local support in this renewal.

Growl’s fourth place in the Stewards’ Cup has had form readers putting him in as the favourite for the race. He does however have to shoulder top weight of 9st 10lbs with jockey Andrew McNamara taking off a 3lb claim.

Mattmu is a four time Stakes winner in his career and this is a significant drop in class for him. Tim Easterby’s five-year-old usually performs his best with a little bit of juice in the ground so it would be well worth checking out the ground conditions at Ripon on Saturday morning.

Here at 888sport we have installed Richard Fahey's Growl as our market leader at 9/2 with Stewards' Cup fifth Shanghai Glory next best at 8/1, and then it's 10/1 bar those three.

888sport predicts:

Pipers Note & Mattmu (e/w singles)

*All odds correct at the time of writing - latest horse racing betting markets available here*

The York Ebor Festival is a little over a week away and already there is excitement building around the Juddmonte International which will witness a mouth-watering clash between Barney Roy and Churchill.

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Barney Roy, who was a nose second to Ulysses in the Eclipse at Sandown last month, was entered in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on Sunday afternoon but instead will head to the Knavesmire on Wednesday week.

His trainer Richard Hannon said: "He came out of the Eclipse fine like he normally does and he's been ticking over since. He's in great form at the moment –he did a piece of work this morning and Sean Levey seemed very pleased with him.

"It will be a good race and so it should be. You wouldn't expect anything less for the level of the prize-money that's on offer – it’s a lovely track and I think it will suit Barney.

"He's proved himself now at the top level. He proved he gets a mile and a quarter and is probably just as effective over that distance as a mile, which a lot of the good horses are.”

Barney Roy is priced at 3/1 with us here at 888sport for the £1 million Group One contest held over a mile and two and a half furlongs.

O'Brien To Give Churchill The Green Light

Just like his rival Barney Roy, Churchill also swerved the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on Sunday in preference to an assault on the Juddmonte.

The dual Guineas winner was a late withdrawal from the Sussex Stakes at the Glorious Goodwood meeting last week due to the testing conditions but trainer Aidan O'Brien is now redirecting him to York.

O’Brien said before the French race decision: "We are looking at York with Churchill.

"It is not written in stone, but we are looking at going up to a mile and a quarter with him.

"The plan was to go to Goodwood and then go up to a mile and a quarter after that.

"If we were to go to France this week then we might not get a chance to go up to a mile and a quarter.

"If York went well then he may go on to Leopardstown (Irish Champion Stakes)."

Ryan Moore's faith in Churchill is unwavering and the number one jockey is looking forward to the three-year-old colt stepping up in trip in the Juddmonte International.

Moore believes he can bounce back with him at York.

"Things just didn't go his way in the St James's Palace Stakes," said Moore last Wednesday. "York is a lovely track and hopefully it should suit him." 

Highland Reel May Be One To Consider

Aidan O'Brien has not ruled out the possibility of dropping multiple Group One winner Highland Reel back in trip for another crack at the race.

The five-year-old may now tackle the mile and a quarter distance for this race again having finished second behind Postponed twelve months ago.

O'Brien said: "It was a good run at Ascot in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, but obviously he likes nice ground and always has.

"We could possibly look at York as he is in Juddmonte. It is a possible, but we won't decide for until nearer the time."

Ulysses Is A Consistent Performer

Adding another scintillating dimension to the race, should he take up his entry, is the possible participation of Sir Michael Stoute’s Ulysses.

Although the Breeders' Cup Turf remains the long-term target for the four-year-old, connections are contemplating which 10-furlong Group One contest he will take in next.

After scoring at Sandown last month, the son of Galileo found only Enable too strong when tackling a mile and a half in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Alan Cooper, racing manager to the owners, said: "We are going to have a chat with Sir Michael Stoute later this week and the plan for him will then become much clearer.

"He ran a super race in the King George, but he just met a very good filly.

"We just like to give the horse plenty of time to see how he is. He is in good form, but we would just like to wait a few days to decide if we go to York or Leopardstown.

"They are the two obvious options for him in August and September, and then we will have a chat and re-group after that. All being well, the Breeders' Cup is the long-term plan again."

So Mi Dar Will Want Better Ground

Connections of So Mi Dar expect the high-class filly to "improve immensely" for her belated seasonal reappearance in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood and there has been some support for her in the betting for the Juddmonte.

So Mi Dar finished fifth of six runners on the Sussex Downs, but was not beaten far by the excellent Winter.

Simon Marsh, racing manager for owners Lord and Lady Lloyd Webber, said: "Having missed the Middleton Stakes at York because of the ground before she had this muscle enzyme problem that has kept her off the track, we had no option but to run her.

"She didn't like the ground and there was a slow pace, which didn't suit her, but she ran a perfectly fine race.

"She's come out of the race well and I'm sure she'll improve immensely. Hopefully you'll see a much better filly next time she runs on more suitable ground.

John Gosden’s charge is now a 16/1 shot in the betting.

At the time of writing, odds for the Juddmonte International at York on Wednesday 23^rd August are as follows:

3/1 Barney Roy. 7/2 Churchill & Ulysses, 6/1 Highland Reel, 8/1 Winter, 10/1 Queens Trust, 12/1 bar.

Saturday August 12th sees the thirty-fifth renewal of the Arlington Million.  Like other races of name and fame, it only needs two words to describe it: the Million.

The $1,000,000 Arlington Million became an instant classic when John Henry beat The Bart by an inch in the first running in 1981 before a packed grandstand at Arlington Park.

The Million's ten furlong turf trip makes it a convergent race for the mile category and the longer distance-inclined turf runners. Twelve horses from several continents will be contesting this truly international race in 2017.

Here is a runner-by-runner guide to the race which viewers in the UK can watch live on Racing UK on Saturday evening.

Deauville

Deauville is well known to American racing fans thanks to his victory in the Belmont Derby Invitational in his start prior to the Arlington Million last year in which he finished a close up third.

Aidan O’Brien’s four-year-old son of Galileo was testing his elders in this race last year at the age of three when only going down by a mere half-length so you would expect a much stronger horse to show up this time around.

Multiple placed finishes have come Deauville’s way over the last year and he is understandably heading the betting. Ryan Moore, aboard for all but one of Deauville's starts this year, returns to the saddle.

Mekhtaal

French Group One winner Mekhtaal certainly adds some “joie de vivre” to the race and holds a solid chance.

Beaten 3 ½ lengths in sixth by Highland Reel in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last time out, the top-class colt is trained in France by Jean-Claude Rouget and Frankie Dettori will be taking up the ride on the four-year-old son of Sea the Stars. However, Mekhtaal must overcome a far outside gate position if he is to be successful.

Beach Patrol

Winner of the Secretariat Stakes last year on the Million undercard and has been on the premises all year, without managing to get his head in front. He has run well without reaching the winner's circle in his last six races now.

Joel Rosario takes the ride but whether he can fend off the European challengers in the home straight remains to be seen.

Divisidero

After three defeats at the start of the year, Divisidero won the Turf Classic again, giving him a remarkable three-from-three record in Derby Day Stakes. Divisidero then finished sixth behind Ascend in the Manhattan at Belmont on June 10^th.

All his graded stakes wins however have come at Churchill Downs, and he has yet to find success at ten furlongs in three attempts.

Kasaqui

Kasaqui will aim to become the first Argentine-bred horse to win the Million. After winning his first graded-stakes victory last year in the Arlington Handicap, the seven-year-old finished second by a neck to last year’s winner Mondialiste.

After capturing the Wise Dan Stakes at Churchill Downs on June 17th, Kasaqui managed third place in the 2017 Arlington Handicap which secured his entry to the Million.

The Pizza Man

Winner of the 2015 Million and was a fast-closing sixth last year, but the eight-year-old has not been performing like his old self in recent starts, clocking up his losing streak to four in the Stars and Stripes (Group Three) most recently.

Expect to see The Pizza Man late on in the race rallying from the back.

Ascend

Ascend runs in the Arlington Million two weeks after finishing fourth as the favourite in the Bowling Green Stakes, but trainer Graham Motion is not at all concerned.

During the last five years, Motion has started 45 horses within two weeks of their previous race, and 21 of them have finished third or better. Of those horses, three ran back in graded stakes.

Ascend will have to overcome being drawn twelve however.

Fanciful Angel

The good-looking son of Dark Angel is now the winner of five races to date, including a win in the Mina Rashid Turf Handicap at Meydan Racecourse earlier this year.

Fanciful Angel will be the eighth runner for Botti at Arlington, who is still seeking success in Arlington’s most prestigious race. Botti found victory in the Beverly D back in 2014 Euro Charline and cannot be underestimated with his international raiders.

Oscar Nominated

Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey’s Grade Three Spiral Stakes winner Oscar Nominated looks to have it all to do on Saturday.

His last win came in the Dueling Grounds Derby almost a year ago, but he has been running against quality opposition ever since.

Oscar Nominated has managed to win more than $800,000 in his career but has never won a graded stakes on the turf.

Enterprising

Winner of the Grade Two Muniz Memorial Handicap back in April and has been victorious in nine turf races in his lifetime.

The six-year-old gelding put back-to-back graded stakes wins together earlier this year but then went off the boil in May and June.

A break may have perked him up however but he does look up against it in this field.

Ghost Hunter

Ghost Hunter sprung a 12-1 upset in the $100,000 Arlington Handicap last month to book his “Ride to the Million” card on Saturday.

Reaching a new career high at the age of seven, the Jamie Ness trained runner outran 45-1 outsider Oak Brook, with defending champion and even-money favourite Kasaqui third under top weight.

Oak Brook

By finishing first in the Black Tie Affair, and then second in the Arlington Handicap, Oak Brook has now earned a career high rating of 117 and could add the pace to the race.

He looks like a horse to place in your exotics at a big price to help boost those dividends.

Conclusion

European runners look all set to dominate proceedings this weekend at Arlington and Aidan O’Brien’s Deauville can scoop the massive first prize in the Million.

A year wiser and a year stronger the Galileo colt can show his pedigree and class here.

Click here for the latest racing markets ahead of Saturday's big race...

With Newcastle facing relegation, the future intentions of boss Rafa Benitez remain unclear, but for Toon legend Rob Lee, the situation is clear-cut – the Spaniard will be jumping ship if the dreaded drop occurs.

Should the north-east giants endure relegation for the second time inside a decade, the former midfielder who played over 300 times in the famous black and white jersey knows exactly who he would like to see come in to steady the sinking ship. Unfortunately he fears recruiting the man in question – or indeed anyone of note – will be difficult, considering who is in charge.

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“I was surprised when Benitez came because do they want to work with Mike Ashley? To have their hands tied and be tarnished when they fail even though it’s not their fault because they’re not allowed to bring in players they want to bring in. I would say Steve Bruce would be a great manager for us. He’s a Geordie and he’s done a great job wherever he has been. But would he want to work where others are bringing in players who are substandard and they get you the sack?”

Lee is referring, of course, to the club’s transfer policy that entrusts head scout Graham Carr to target promising but unproven talent, usually untapped markets of Holland and France.

“We have players we signed for the sell-on value and they’re not good enough for Newcastle United and don’t really want to be there. They’re using Newcastle as a stepping stone which is a shame because it’s a huge club. They should be desperate to play in front of the passionate Geordies.

“The problem is that Graham Carr had a little bit of success with Cabaye and Tiote but that well has run dry. We need a spine of British players who know the history of Newcastle and want to play for Newcastle.  Instead we have players who want to play in the Premier League then realise it’s cold.”

It has been a torrid season on Tyneside that has seen a squad packed with internationals languish in the bottom three for much of it, but, speaking in an exclusive interview with 888sport, Lee is under no illusions that the malaise extends beyond a few months of underachievement.

Mention of Keegan is a reminder of the team – and ambition – the club once had, a side that became the nation’s second favourites with their free-flowing game almost won the league. Lee was an instrumental figure from that golden recent era and it is evident Newcastle United is not just a name on his CV but a club close to this heart.

If Mike Ashley receives some straight-shooting, the players themselves get it with both barrels.

“Defensively we’ve been poor. Coloccini hasn’t been good enough for a long time. Steven Taylor is not good enough. So we’ve struggled. But if you put a Newcastle shirt on – as I did playing for them for ten years – you have to give 100%. Can players say they have done that week in, week out? I don’t think so.”

“The players haven’t performed. They didn’t perform under Steve McClaren and if they scrape their way out of this you just hope that Benitez stays on and is allowed to bring in players to make the club better. In order to do that they have to spend a lot of money because they are miles behind everybody.  We’ve so far behind people that if we get away with it we’d have to spend at least a hundred million to get back to where we should be in mid-table.”

Sadly, even the scenario of competing with the likes of West Brom and Watford for a place in mid-table seems an awfully long way away at present and, with just four games to go, Newcastle require a mini-miracle to ensure safety.

If they do go down, does Lee think the club can repeat their recovery in 2010 when they went back up at the first time of asking?

“No, because last time we got relegated we had players like Joey Barton and Kevin Nolan and players of that ilk. I look around now and we’ve got players who will not want to play in that division. If they’re made to stay they won’t want to play.

“You’d have thought they would definitely lose a lot of players but you look at the players they’d lose and they are players who haven’t performed. Sissoko won’t want to play in that division nor will Wijnaldum nor Mitrovic but these are the players who have put us where we are.”

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   Leicester. I’d love to see them do because they remind me of the Newcastle side of the mid-nineties. - Bet on Premier League Winner

2. Who will win the Golden Boot?

   Harry Kane - Bet on Golden Boot Winner

3. Who will win the Champions League?

   City have a chance but Real Madrid - Bet on Champions League Winner

4. Who will win the Euros?

   People are going to laugh at me but if Roy Hodgson picks the right team England have got half a chance. - Bet on the Euros

The Stewards’ Cup had its inaugural running in 1840 over a sprint distance of six furlongs. The contest has now become the feature race on the concluding Saturday of the Glorious Goodwood Festival and always attracts a large and competitive field.

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Let’s take a look at all the trends and statistics based on the last ten runnings of the race.

Age (win-place-runners)

3-y-o: 2-1-17

4-y-o: 4-7-76

5-y-o: 2-9-69

6-y-o: 2-7-54

7-y-o+: 0-4-50

Horses aged either three or four have the best combined record winning a total of five times in the last six years. Eight of the twenty-eight entries fit this age criteria in 2017.

Horses aged over six years have a bad record in recent times. This statistic bodes badly for seven of the total entries.

Three-year-olds had a bad record in this race until the last couple of years when they have won on both occasions. Just two three-year-olds are in the line up this year if you fancy that trend to continue?

Weights

Six out of ten winners carried 9st 1lb or more.

Three out of the last four winners have been between the 8st 11lb and 8st 12lb mark.

9st 1lb runners or more account for twenty entries in the field, whilst 9st or less runners account for just eight entries.

Horse ratings

OR 99+: 4-13-133

OR 91-98: 6-16-121

OR 90-: 0-1-7

Ten out of the last ten winners had an official rating of between 95-104.

Just two horses are rated under 95 this time around.

Key Races

Seven of the last ten winners ran in the Wokingham

Previous winners of the Infinity Tyres Stakes at York have a super record here.

Eight of the last fifteen winners has raced at Goodwood before.

Draw

Eight of the last ten winners were drawn in stalls 10-19.

Trainers

The only trainers that have won the race in the last ten years and are represented again are:  M.W Easterby, A.Balding, C.Hills, W.Haggas, R.Cowell and R.Charlton.

Price

All ten of the last ten winners have come from the first six in the betting. At the time of writing the first six in the betting are: Projection, Danzeno, Sir Dancelot, Polybius, Growl and Raucous.

Chances of the principle runners in the betting:

Projection

Ante-post favourite Projection (Roger Charlton, 9st 6lb) was third in the Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot.

The four-year-old gelding competed in the consolation £75,000 Qatar Stewards' Sprint Handicap at the Goodwood Festival last season and came home a close fifth when denied a clear run in the closing stages. 

Any reproduction of that run will give him a great chance in this feature race.

Danzeno

Mick Appleby expects Danzeno (9st 11lb) to make his presence felt on his step back up in trip.

The six-year-old gelding gained his first win since landing a conditions race at Musselburgh in September 2015 when defying top weight over the minimum trip at Ascot last time out.

He was also a close fifth in the Wokingham, but does have to shoulder a 6lb penalty for that recent win which gives him top weight and makes his task all the more harder.

Raucous

Also prominent in the ante-post betting market is Raucous (9st 5lb, William Haggas), who finished eighth in the Wokingham Handicap after meeting lots of trouble in running. 

This drop back into handicap company after finishing fourth last time in Group company is a shrewd move by Haggas and the booking of Jim Crowley makes this horse a must on any shortlist.

Sir Dancelot

The 101 rated Sir Dancelot (David Elsworth) gets into the handicap here carrying just a mere 8st 12lb which is a massive 13lbs pull on the top-weighted Danzeno.

The three-year-old was a good second last time out at Newmarket and has arguably one of the best jockeys in the world aboard in Ryan Moore.

There is every chance that the three-year-old recent trend in this race is due to continue on Saturday afternoon.

Polybius

Polybius (9st 3lb, David Simcock) ran a cracker of a race in the Wokingham Handicap finishing fourth to Out Do.

The six-year-old has since gone on to finish an eye-catching three-quarters of a length second to Danzeno in a hotly contested heritage handicap.

Polybius is now 6lbs well in with Mick Appleby’s charge and it could be enough to turn the tables.

Growl

Richard Fahey’s runner (9st 10lb) was well fancied for this race last year but failed to overcome a terrible draw.

This year the draw is much more favourable and Fahey has employed the services of Connor Murtagh to take off a valuable 10lbs.

Growl has been the victim of some very bad luck of late but if things finally click again this weekend he is a live contender.

Race summary

Based upon all the above trends and statistics over the last ten renewals of the Stewards’ Cup race, the pair who keep coming to the fore are Sir Dancelot and Raucus.

Given the size of the field and the attractive each-way odds and concessions available on the race, it could be well worth backing both horses.

Check out our latest prices on the race here at 888sport.

In an exclusive interview with 888sport, Liverpool legend John Aldridge has named the players he believes will be off-loaded by Jurgen Klopp this summer and if the respected pundit is correct it may be prudent to change the Shankly Gates into revolving doors.

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“When Jurgen took over at Dortmund in his first close season he let 17 players go and brought 12 in. That might tell you something. Thankfully Liverpool don’t need to do that but it needs slimming down and I’m sure there will be comings and goings. He has already brought two players in and there may be five or so more. You might be looking at Kolo Toure leaving because of his age and obviously Skrtel. Enrique will go, Bogdan will probably go and there are question marks over a number of midfielders. There will be a mini-cull at Liverpool.”

Despite Liverpool finding form and results of late, it will be revolution over evolution, then, as the German coach seeks to mould a team in his own image.  There is also the small matter of Christian Benteke, the club’s second most expensive addition, whose travails up front have earned Aldridge’s sympathy.
“When he came I was delighted. I’d seen him at Villa and he was an excellent scorer and excellent player. But the way Liverpool play doesn’t really suit him and he has suffered.”

This, though, is no time to focus on negatives. Liverpool are flying right now, a revival in no small way aided by their legendary supporters, and there is no question Anfield’s unique and thunderous atmosphere helped inspire the Reds to a miraculous comeback against Borussia Dortmund in their Europa Cup quarter final last week.

According to Aldridge, the ear-deafening festival of noise and colour might also bring about additional benefits to the Merseyside giants.
 
“If we can win the Europa League it will make life in the transfer market a lot easier for Jurgen. He’s got a great stature so players will want to come and play for him and after what we saw at Anfield against Dortmund, players will look at that and think ‘I’d love to play there. That is incredible’. So last Thursday was a massive marketing tool for Liverpool, and Jurgen Klopp is as well. If we can get into the Champions League he can go out and do some serious damage I’m sure.”

Unsurprisingly, numerous names are already being bandied about in the gossip columns but the popular ex-marksmen – who scored a staggering 50 goals in just 83 appearances for the Red Men in a trophy-laden era for the club – is convinced there is sufficient attacking talent emerging through the ranks to save Klopp countless millions this summer.

“The manager has breathed life into the academy and given them a chance and they’ve done really well. Young Ojo is a proper talent who has so much ability it’s frightening and I just hope it develops. He’s got a great chance.“

Then there is Daniel Sturridge, a goal-scoring force of nature whose return to fitness is a very welcome boost, not just for his club, but potentially his country too.

“He’s a very influential player and he can be at the Euros. He has a point to prove not just to Klopp but to himself and to Roy Hodgson. England have some very good players going to France and at this moment in time he’s probably number four whereas he should be number one. He will know that.”

Following a chaotic season of departures, arrivals, under-achievement and optimism, it is undoubtedly a rosy period for the Reds, which makes this Wednesday night’s derby fortuitous in its timing. Yet we can expect the highly unusual situation of both sides being distracted by other matters that are even more pressing than local bragging rights.

“Both teams have a little bit of a dilemma. Everton in the fact that they’ve got a massive semi-final against United at the weekend and although Liverpool still have a very slim chance of a top four place, their best chance of Champions League football is winning the Europa. So it’s hard to predict what sides the managers are going to put out. I still fancy Liverpool because they’re on a wave at the moment and the belief is big among the players.”

For Everton the avoidance of defeat will be critical if only to temporarily stem the slow spiral into crisis that is consuming the club at present. That goes ten-fold for under-fire manager Roberto Martinez whose tenure at Goodison Park appears to be coming to an end.

“I feel for him personally because he’s such a lovely person and a football man but it’s not working for him. This new owner will want to stamp his authority on the club and he will be listening to the fans as well.”

When asked about the Toffees’ decline this term Aldridge is as puzzled as each and every supporter whose increasing unrest has only added further pressure on the manager’s shoulders.

“I do a phone-in show twice a week with Graeme Sharp and the Everton fans are absolutely bamboozled. You look at the Everton squad and it’s very decent yet they are languishing in a position in the league where they should be nowhere near. Have the team lost belief in the manager? I don’t know. But I do know the team should be higher in the table and without Lukaku’s twenty goals where would they be?”

We may well find out next season with the Belgian hit-man recently agitating for a move and unwisely making kissy faces at Bayern Munich and Manchester United. Predictably enough the comments that were attributed to the player’s camp hardly went down well on Merseyside.

“From the city of Liverpool’s point of view the Evertonians won’t be happy when Manchester United is mentioned. He wants Champions League yes but unfortunately players today use the Champions League as a cop out when they want to leave clubs. They do really well and then it’s an easy cop out and for the clubs it’s something you have to swallow. Luis Suarez and lots of other players have done it before him but Lukaku owes Everton big-time. Unfortunately he’s not a scouser like Steven Gerrard was so he will leave if Everton get the right price for him.”

1. Who will win the league?

   Leicester - Bet on Premier League Winner

2. Who will win the Golden Boot?

   I’d like to see Harry Kane do it - Bet on Golden Boot Winner

3. Who will win the Champions League?

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4. Who will win the Euros?

   Republic of Ireland. If not, France. - Bet on the Euros

Ex-Manchester United striker insists there is only one man for the Manchester United job = Jose Mourinho.

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While Louis van Gaal defiantly insists he will still be in charge next season, speculation increases unabated on who his successor may be with many – including several former players – putting forward Ryan Giggs as the best possible candidate.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with 888sport, however, the ex-United striker believes the thirteen times Premier League champions would be wiser to opt for the shrewd know-how of a certain Special One.

“I think with what they have gone through in the past two years United would be better to have a coach with Mourinho’s experience.”

This is meant as no slight on Giggs, of course, and the Uruguayan hitman is quick to point out to what extent his eighteen years scoring goals for fun across South America and Europe has been defined by playing under managers with wizened stature. At Villarreal there was Manuel Pellegrini as the El Submarino Amarillo temporarily broke up the Barca-Real duopoly.

His brief spell in England earned him a league title and FA Cup triumph under the studied guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson, while bagging the Golden Boot award at the 2010 World Cup can be partly attributed to a coach in Oscar Tavarez who goes by the nickname of ‘the teacher’. 

The 36 year old from Montevideo evidently favours miles on the clock and laughter lines in the dug-out.

The Welsh legend also misses out when Forlan nominates his most talented team-mate from his two years at Old Trafford, with Paul Scholes getting the nod, and it is answered so emphatically it’s a reminder once again of how much the midfield schemer is treasured by those who benefited from his vision. 

Those who know Forlan largely for his stint in English football would question just how much he benefited at all, a return of ten goals over two campaigns meaning his time here is regarded as something of a disappointment. Yet that is a tremendous disservice to a lethal forward who ripped up goalscoring records wherever else he went. At Atletico Madrid his feats far outshine those of Fernando Torres or Diego Costa ,including a magnificent 2007/08 season that saw him crowned the top scorer across the continent with 32 La Liga goals. Mention the word ‘flop’ to Atletico fans and you risk getting a paella hurled in your direction. 

This Wednesday evening at the Vicente Calderon Stadium his former club take on Barcelona in an all-Spanish Champions League quarter final second leg clash that promises plenty of fireworks and drama. Yet despite Diego Simeone’s men needing to overturn a 2-1 disadvantage Forlan advocates calm in the oncoming storm.

“Atletico must be careful to not be swayed by the euphoria of the crowd. Barcelona are masters at exploiting spaces so the issue of chasing the result must be handled carefully otherwise we will be exposed. Set pieces will be vital and it will be a tough tie as all Atletico v Barcelona games are. It’s going to be a boiler.”

It certainly will be but requiring at least one goal in such a cauldron of passion and against an indomitable Barca defence it’s also fair to state that Atletico could do with their talismanic striker Torres leading the line this week. Yet his dismissal at the Camp Nou means he is unavailable, his contentious sending off having potentially costly consequences for the rojiblancos. Looking back on the first leg encounter Forlan insists the yellows were on the cards.

“The sending off looked inevitable. Five or ten minutes earlier he’d been booked but he already looked nervous and was arriving late into every challenge he made. Barcelona knew how to take advantage of that.”

There were reportedly tears from Torres in the changing room after the game with the ex- Liverpool forward inconsolable and thinking he had blown any chance his team had of progressing. According to Forlan though he remains a pivotal figure at the club and with that in mind it’s crucial they tie him down to a contract extension this summer.

“It would be really good if they renewed his contract. He may not have scored many goals this season but his work-rate is crucial and the ones he has scored have all been important. He is still a great player and it is hugely significant that he is a local boy with the club in his heart.”

Goodwood Racecourse this week will host five days of thrilling equine action set against the backdrop of the beautiful Sussex countryside. The Qatar Goodwood Festival – still popularly referred to as “Glorious Goodwood” – is one of the highlights of the flat-racing season.

Bet on Glorious Goodwood

The Qatar Goodwood Festival is a spectacle that has to be experienced. Fashion combined with some of the greatest races in the world go towards creating a wonderful festival atmosphere.

Here is a guide to each day of the Glorious Goodwood Festival 2017:

Tuesday

The Tuesday highlight is Goodwood’s newest Group One, the Qatar Goodwood Cup worth £500,000.

Frankie Dettori missed out on winning the Ascot Gold Cup riding Big Orange because of injury but he is back on board as the Michael Bell-trained gelding attempts to become only the second horse to win the Goodwood Cup three times.

Bell's admirable six-year-old goes to the Sussex track on the back of a memorable victory over Order Of St George in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. He is the red hot 4/5 favourite with us at 888sport following that brilliant win.

Horses taking on the “Orange” are Willie Mullins' Wicklow Brave, winner of last year's Irish St Leger. Aidan O'Brien is represented instead by US Army Ranger whilst William Haggas is having a crack at the Gold Cup winner with Dal Harraild.

Also run on the opening day of the Festival is the Lennox Stakes.

Dean Ivory believes the return to seven furlongs will see the best come out of his Librisa Breeze. A winner of two handicaps over that trip last season, he has run with great credit in Group Ones over six furlongs the last twice. Most recently he finished fourth to The Tin Man on his seasonal return in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

Current race favourite Limato was a convincing winner of the Prix de la Foret last autumn. He has not run beyond six furlongs so far this season, over which he has been placed in both the Diamond Jubilee Stakes and July Cup. His participation however depends on the state of the ground on Tuesday when connections will make up their mind on whether to run him or not.

Wednesday

The Qatar Sussex Stakes is one of the highlights of the flat racing season, with prize money of £1 million attracting a world-class field. This mile-long Group One race has previously been won by the peerless Frankel, the popular French grey Solow and in 2016, by The Gurkha.

Richard Fahey’s Ribchester can confirm his place as Europe’s top miler if he adds the Sussex Stakes to wins in the Queen Anne Stakes and Lockinge Stakes this year. His rivals are headed by Aidan O’Brien’s English and Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Churchill and Jean-Claude Rouget’s French raider Zelzal.

Thursday

The prestigious Group One Qatar Nassau Stakes is the highlight of the eight-race card on Thursday, worth £600,000. Previous winners include Ouija Board, Midday and Minding.

Aidan O'Brien's Winter has carried all before her with victories in the English and Irish 1000 Guineas and the Coronation Stakes.

She is now stepping up to a mile and a quarter for the first time in search of a fourth successive Group One triumph.

So Mi Dar is set to make her first appearance since October when she came third in the Prix de l'Opera at Chantilly.

Her trainer John Gosden also runs Shutter Speed, who suffered a first defeat when fourth in the French Oaks on her latest start.

Sir Michael Stoute bids to equal Sir Henry Cecil's record of eight Qatar Nassau Stakes triumphs with last year's Breeders' Cup heroine Queen's Trust.

Roger Varian is also excited by the prospects of Nezwaah. The four-year-old is two from two so far this season and took the Group Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh last time out.

Friday

The sight of a packed field of horses hurtling at speeds of over 40mph past the Goodwood grandstands makes the £300,000 Group Two Qatar King George Stakes one of the highlights of the entire week. With three further Group races being held on the same afternoon the Friday of the Qatar Goodwood Festival has to be one of the most enthralling day's racing in the entire calendar.

Dual winner of the race Take Cover is among the 13 entries for the Qatar King George Stakes at the confirmation stage.

David Griffiths' sprinter lifted this five-furlong dash in 2014 and 2016 and was only beaten a head in the 2015 renewal.

The 10-year-old showed he still has an appetite for the game when winning the City Walls Stakes at York on his latest start.

The William Haggas-trained Muthmir won the race two years ago and reopposes again.

Battaash, succesful in two races at Sandown this year, Profitable and Marsha - second and third to Lady Aurelia in the King's Stand - head the other contenders.

One of the handicap highlights of the year, the Betfred Mile, for which the race trends suggest you back a horse drawn higher than nine at your peril, provides plenty of each-way betting value.

Godolphin's Blair House went down by only half a length to Zhui Feng in the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot and marginally heads the market.

Saturday

The Qatar Stewards Cup takes centre stage for the final day of the Qatar Goodwood Festival. This historic race provides racegoers with the opportunity to witness 28 of the finest equine speedsters dashing down the Goodwood home straight in an attempt to claim the £250,000 prize. Previous winners of this famous sprint include Loch Song and Dancing Star.

The six-furlong Stewards' Cup is one of the hardest sprint handicaps to win but the Roger Charlton-trained Projection is a clear 9-1 favourite after placing third in the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Mick Appleby expects Danzeno to make his presence felt as he steps back up in trip for the contest,

The six-year-old gelding gained his first win since landing a conditions race at Musselburgh in September 2015 when defying top weight at Ascot last time out.

***

The best of luck with all your “Glorious Goodwood” gambles this week.