William Haggas appears to have found Aldaary an excellent opportunity to open his account for the campaign in the Dubai Duty Free Cup at Newbury on Friday.

The winner of two valuable handicaps at Ascot in two weeks a couple of years ago, the five-year-old successfully stepped up to Listed class in the Spring Trophy at Haydock last season, but that proved to be his only competitive start in 2022.

He has failed to add to his tally since returning from over 400 days on the sidelines, but was unfortunate to bump into subsequent Grade One winner Master Of The Seas in the Summer Mile at Ascot in July and was last seen finishing fourth behind Paddington in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

Dropping down in trip and distance for this seven-furlong Listed event, Aldaary sets a high standard, although one of his biggest threats could prove to be his stablemate Al Mubhir, who has winning form in soft ground and was a big eyecatcher when eighth in the Golden Mile at Goodwood last month.

Haggas said: “They both love heavy ground and it has been a while since we’ve had heavy ground and there has been a race in which they can run.

“I didn’t have either of them in at Sandown this week because I didn’t think the ground would get that bad, but I had them both in at Newbury so they’ll both have to run, which is a shame.

“Aldaary is the best horse of the two but he really loves bottomless ground, it can’t be heavy enough, so I was a little bit disappointed with him against Paddington.

“Both of them want a mile really, but hopefully they’ll run a good race. I don’t really want to run them against each other, but they have biggish targets at the end of the year so they need a run to get back into the groove.”

Streets Of Gold was placed in the Surrey Stakes at Epsom and the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot during the summer, but failed to fire in the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket.

The three-year-old was subsequently gelded and his trainer Eve Johnson Houghton was encouraged by his comeback run when fifth in the Listed Hopeful Stakes last month.

She said: “I’m really happy with him and we’ll take a view on the ground. He won on soft ground last year, so we’ll think about it anyway.

“I was happy with his last run, really pleased, and I definitely think he’s come forward from that.”

Other contenders include Ralph Beckett’s course and distance winner Biggles and the consistent Popmaster from Ed Walker’s yard.

The Haynes, Hanson And Clark Novice Stakes is a race with a rich history, with equine greats such as Shergar (1980), Rainbow Quest (1983) and Nayef (2000) all featuring on the roll of honour.

Nayef, who subsequently won the Champion Stakes, Dubai Sheema Classic, Juddmonte International and Prince of Wales’s Stakes, is one of a record five previous winners of the race for trainer Marcus Tregoning, who is this year represented by Shadwell-owned newcomer Mufid.

Recalling Nayef’s debut win, Tregoning said: “We were pretty confident and in actual fact the reason we ran him in this race was because he was quite tricky in the stalls at home and I thought we might be better running in a conditions race rather than a maiden because there’d be less runners.

“He was a very good two-year-old, obviously, and went on to become a multiple Group One winner, so he was exceptionally good.”

It would be fanciful at this stage to suggest Mufid could go on to scale such lofty heights and Tregoning is just hoping for a positive performance in what will be testing conditions.

He added: “He’s by Lope De Vega, who has obviously had a very good year, and he’s out of a Sea The Stars mare, so he’s always given me the impression a mile will suit him really well.

“It’s his first run and we like him, but it’s a job to know (what to expect) when he’s running on heavy ground first time out.

“I hope he’ll run a nice race, but it’s a good race, as it always is. You’ve got horses in there with winning form on soft ground, but it will be particularly testing, I think.”

Roger Varian’s Defiance is a non-runner, but once-raced maiden winners Royal Supremacy (Andrew Balding) and Blue Lemons (Richard Hannon) take their chance, while King’s Gambit (Harry and Roger Charlton) won on his second start over the course and distance and also features.

Blair Kinghorn is relishing his elevated status as Scotland’s first-choice World Cup full-back after spending most of his international career to date trying to emerge from the shadows of greats Finn Russell and Stuart Hogg.

The 26-year-old Edinburgh back has accumulated 47 caps since his debut in 2018, largely due to his versatility in being able to operate at number 15, number 10 and even on the wing.

In trying to establish himself at full-back, Kinghorn found Hogg – Scotland’s record try-scorer – blocking his way to a starting place, while his bid to become an international stand-off always seemed unlikely for as long as the talismanic Russell was still at the top of his game.

Hogg’s retirement earlier this summer, however, opened the door for Kinghorn to set about making the 15 jersey his own.

After starting the two summer Tests against France last month, it came as little surprise when he got the nod over the less experienced full-back Ollie Smith to start the World Cup opener against South Africa.

He is expected to retain his place for Sunday’s match against Tonga in Nice as the Scots bid to bounce back from their 18-3 defeat by the Springboks.

“I feel like there’s been a different focus this pre-season, coming into the World Cup feeling like I can grab a starting jersey,” he said.

“Being able to start at 15 is something I don’t want to let go of and something I don’t take lightly.

“I’m really excited about it. Everyone always wants to be starting for their country and now that I’ve had the opportunity to start the last game, and a couple of the warm-up games to start at 15, it’s been really exciting for me.

“There’s still a lot of competition in our squad for that jersey, everyone is pushing each other, so I’ve just got to keep training well and playing well, if selected, and hopefully I can hang on to it for a while longer.”

For much of 2022, amid tension between Gregor Townsend and Russell, it looked like Kinghorn was being primed as a Scotland fly-half.

However, with Russell and the head coach having patched up their differences last November, Kinghorn’s hopes of becoming number 10 for the national team were effectively dashed.

“I think so,” he said when asked if his focus was now fully on the full-back position. “I feel comfortable back there. I’ve got the ability to cover stand-off if needed but I feel like full-back is my best suited position at the moment, and I feel like that’s where I can offer the team my strengths.”

Kinghorn knows he has big boots to fill in succeeding Hogg, one of Scotland’s greatest ever players, but he is intent on playing the position his own way.

“Obviously Hoggy was a world-class player so over the last five years since I’ve been in camp with him I’ve been picking up little bits of knowledge here and there from him, but I’m looking to put my own game into that 15 jersey,” he said.

“A lot of players play in different styles and I think me and Hoggy have contrasting styles in certain ways, but I’ll be looking to put my own stamp on the position.”

Kinghorn is enjoying his second World Cup after going to Japan in 2019 as a 22-year-old. The back was a fringe man at the last showpiece, making just two appearances and only one as a starter. He feels he has developed significantly as a player and a person since then.

“I was inexperienced and quite young when I came to my first World Cup,” said Kinghorn. “You grow and mature into these situations and you realise how hard it is to stay at the top of your game for an entire pre-season and World Cup.

“You’ve got to take your preparation and your recovery seriously. I think when you’re younger you’re a bit naive to how much work it actually takes so I feel like I’m a more mature player who has definitely dealt with a bit more life experience within rugby and I can handle situations a bit better.”

Giavellotto will head to Qipco Champions Day or be put away until next season after connections shelved the idea of having a tilt at this year’s Melbourne Cup.

A narrow winner of the Yorkshire Cup in the spring, Marco Botti’s stable star has since finished fifth in the Goodwood Cup and third in the Lonsdale Cup back at York last month.

Given Giavellotto’s preference for a sound surface, a trip to Australia appeared an attractive proposition – but with the stringent veterinary checks required to contest the Flemington showpiece seemingly a factor, he will not contest the ‘race that stops a nation’ in early November.

“He’s in good form and has come out of the race at York in fine shape, but we’re not going to Australia,” said Botti.

“There were a few niggling problems and it’s not going to happen this year unfortunately. He’s fine, but there were concerns we might get him there and he wouldn’t be able to run or whatever, so we just decided bypass it for this year.

“Hopefully next year if we still have him and everything is going well then we can think about it as the Melbourne Cup is a race the owners would love to go for, and the race and the track would suit him as he seems to go on left-handed tracks.”

With the Melbourne Cup ruled out, the only viable option left for Giavellotto this season is the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup on October 21, but the prospect of demanding conditions at Ascot is an obvious concern.

“We’ll keep an eye on the weather as he will only go to Ascot if the ground is not too soft. Good to soft is fine, but he wouldn’t want to run on anything softer than that,” Botti added.

“If he doesn’t go to Ascot we’ll just put him away for the winter.

“We haven’t discussed plans for next year with the owners yet. I wouldn’t rule out going back to Dubai World Cup night for the Gold Cup, but let’s see how he winters and how he is after a nice break.”

Heredia could get her shot a big-race glory next month with connections indicating they are likely to supplement the thriving four-year-old for the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket.

The Richard Hannon-trained filly gave owners St Albans Bloodstock a day to remember when landing the Sandringham at Royal Ascot in 2022, but despite being a consistent performer, it was over a year before she notched up her next victory in the Dick Hern Stakes at Haydock last month.

It was a switch to again racing over a mile that signalled the return to winning ways on Merseyside and she quickly added to her tally with a career-best effort in the Group Three Atalanta Stakes at Sandown.

The Heredia team now appear ready to pay the £20,000 supplementary fee to roll the dice at Group One level, where rivals could include John and Thady Gosden’s Inspiral.

“We’ve all had a chat and we we’re absolutely delighted with Sandown,” said Richard Brown, racing manager for the owners.

“She is a filly on a sharp upwards curve and when fillies do that you don’t know how far they can go, so we’ll most likely supplement her for the Sun Chariot.”

Queen’s Guard will seek to take a step forward in the British EBF Stallions Harry Rosebery Stakes at Ayr.

The Michael Bell-trained filly was fourth on debut at Doncaster in July and was then a smart winner of a keenly-contested Yarmouth maiden early in August.

Both races were over six furlongs, and the daughter of Havana Grey now steps down to five to bid for black-type form in Listed company.

“We’re dropping back to five furlongs, she’s got bundles of speed in her pedigree,” said Bell.

“Although she’s the most inexperienced, the way she won at Yarmouth would fully justify the decision to run her in this.”

Queen’s Guard made her debut on soft ground and won on good the next time, with Bell expecting her to prove to be versatile in terms of surface.

He said: “I think she’ll go with cut, I think she just got very tired on debut.

“I don’t think she’ll be inconvenienced by the ground, she just took a big blow (at Doncaster), I think he’s actually quite flexible on ground conditions.”

Also set to contest the five-furlong event is Andrew Balding’s Purosangue, second behind Big Evs in the Molecomb at Goodwood and second again in the Roses Stakes at York when last seen.

Karl Burke’s Beautiful Diamond lines up having been beaten a length and a half in the Group Two Lowther on her last start, with Brian Meehan’s Group One-placed Toca Madera and Kevin Ryan’s Mon Na Slieve both set to compete.

Richard Fahey’s Bombay Bazaar and Craig Lidster’s Alfa Moonstone complete the group of seven.

A field of 13 have assembled for the Listed Arran Scottish Sprint EBF Fillies’ Stakes, with Queen Me a leading fancy. Kevin Ryan also saddles Silent Words.

The Fahey-trained Marine Wave and William Haggas’ Pink Diamond both have chances, as does Ralph Beckett’s Funny Story, second by a neck in a Listed event at Pontefract.

Michael Dods runs last year’s winner Gale Force Maya and George Boughey is responsible for the internationally-campaigned Perdika.

There is a sole Irish-trained runner in Fozzy Stack’s Aussie Girl, runner-up in the Group Three Ballyogan Stakes and a filly who has been unfailingly consistent all season.

Nick Bradley has a pair of runners in Karl Burke’s Secret Angel and Grant Tuer’s Sophia’s Starlight, with David Evans’ Radio Goo Goo, Ed Walker’s Rum Cocktail and Richard Spencer’s Sweet Harmony completing the line-up.

Scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park has been recalled in the only change to Ireland’s starting XV for Saturday’s Rugby World Cup showdown with reigning champions South Africa in Paris.

Gibson-Park, who sat out his side’s 59-16 win over Tonga, will resume his half-back partnership with captain Johnny Sexton at Stade de France, with Conor Murray dropping to the bench.

Hooker Dan Sheehan is in line for his first appearance since suffering a foot injury in last month’s warm-up win over England after being named among the replacements.

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has stuck with a five-three split of forwards and backs on the bench for the standout fixture in Pool B, despite the Springboks opting for a bold seven-one selection.

Prop Finlay Bealham is among those in reserve after satisfying head injury assessments following his early withdrawal last weekend.

Centre Bundee Aki, the tournament’s leading try scorer with four after doubles against Romania and Tonga, will win his 50th Ireland cap, while flanker Peter O’Mahony will make his 100th Test appearance, including one for the British and Irish Lions.

The world’s top-ranked nation have the chance to secure a quarter-final spot as they go in search of a 16th consecutive win, a run which includes a 19-16 Dublin success over South Africa in November.

Hooker Ronan Kelleher and props Andrew Porter and Tadhg Furlong continue in an all-Leinster front row, ahead of locks Tadhg Beirne and James Ryan.

O’Mahony is again joined in the back row by number eight Caelan Doris and reigning world player of the year Josh van der Flier.

Garry Ringrose and the in-form Aki link up in midfield, with full-back Hugo Keenan in a familiar back three alongside wings Mack Hansen and James Lowe.

Sheehan, Bealham and Murray are joined on the bench by Dave Kilcoyne, Iain Henderson, Ryan Baird, Jack Crowley and Robbie Henshaw.

Rob Herring, Craig Casey and Ross Byrne drop out of the matchday 23.

Ireland team: H Keenan (Leinster); M Hansen (Connacht), G Ringrose (Leinster), B Aki (Connacht), J Lowe (Leinster); J Sexton (Leinster, capt), J Gibson-Park (Leinster); A Porter (Leinster), R Kelleher (Leinster), T Furlong (Leinster), T Beirne (Munster), J Ryan (Leinster), P O’Mahony (Munster), J Van der Flier (Leinster), C Doris (Leinster).

Replacements: D Sheehan (Leinster), D Kilcoyne (Munster), F Bealham (Connacht), I Henderson (Ulster), R Baird (Leinster), C Murray (Munster), J Crowley (Munster), R Henshaw (Leinster).

Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham were both on target in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Kane struck from the penalty spot in Bayern Munich’s 4-3 victory over Manchester United, while Bellingham prodded home a stoppage-time winner for Real Madrid against Champions League debutants Union Berlin.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the England internationals’ astonishing beginnings for their respective clubs.

How has Kane started?

After drawing a blank as a second-half substitute in Bayern’s surprise German Super Cup defeat to RB Leipzig, Kane, 30, has been virtually unstoppable.

The £100million striker netted on his maiden Bundesliga outing in a 4-0 win at Werder Bremen before bagging a brace in a 3-1 victory against Augsburg.

He scored the opener in an entertaining 2-2 draw with Bayer Leverkusen last Friday before netting from the spot against United – the club that wanted to sign him from Tottenham.

“Manchester United are crying out for a centre forward and whatever it would have cost they should have got him,” United’s former midfielder Paul Scholes told TNT Sports. “If you had the money to buy one player or three, I would have bought Harry Kane all day long.”

How has Bellingham played?

Birmingham-born Bellingham, 20, has six goals and one assist in his opening six matches since his £88.5million move from Borussia Dortmund.

He struck on his debut against Athletic Bilbao before netting a brace away at Almeria and then scoring the only goal in a 1-0 victory at Celta Vigo.

Bellingham scored a stoppage-time winner against Getafe in his first Bernabeu outing – emulating Cristiano Ronaldo by netting in his opening four LaLiga games – before delivering another late goal, this time in his first Champions League outing for Los Blancos. His mark of six is one more than the rest of the Madrid squad combined this season.

What has the reaction been?

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has trusted Bellingham from the get-go, preferring him to Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, who have just three league starts between them.

Speaking after Bellingham’s heroics on Wednesday night, Ancelotti said: “He’s smarter than others when attacking from the second line. He has this quality and he’s making the most of it.”

Bellingham has already won over the Real Madrid fans, who serenaded him with The Beatles’ classic ‘Hey Jude’ after his late winner against Getafe, and again on Wednesday night.

“I have goosebumps speaking about it,” said Bellingham. “You don’t understand how big this club is until you are here. I have now got that honour and I will wear it with pride.”

Kane’s brilliant start has also won him fans – not least in Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel.

“I love him,” said the former Chelsea manager. “He is a fantastic guy, fantastic player and huge personality.

“He is a clinical finisher, he controls a lot of balls, and he is so intelligent around the box. It has been a very good start from him. I am super happy.”

How does their form compare to England’s other stars?

With 11 goals and three assists between them, no other attacking member of Gareth Southgate’s England squad is performing better for their clubs this term.

Bukayo Saka, Jarrod Bowen and Callum Wilson have all netted on three occasions this season, while Raheem Sterling, James Ward-Prowse, James Maddison, Eddie Nketiah and Dominic Solanke have all scored twice.

Kane also has more England minutes since the Three Lions’ European Championship final defeat to Italy in the summer of 2021 than anyone else. Kane has played 2,016 minutes for Southgate, with Bellingham (1,540 mins) fifth behind Harry Maguire (1,927 mins) Declan Rice (1,889 mins) and Jordan Pickford (1,669 mins).

Kane and Bellingham were also on target in England’s impressive 3-1 win against Scotland last week.

What’s next?

Kane will be back in action when Bayern host Bochum in the Bundesliga on Saturday before he returns to Champions League action next month in Copenhagen. Bellingham will be bidding to help Real maintain their 100 per cent start to the season in his first Madrid derby, at Atletico, on Sunday.

They will join forces for England in a friendly with Australia at Wembley on October 13 before a European Championship qualifier against Italy at the same venue four days later.

Meanwhile, Kane also revealed he will have one eye on Tottenham’s Premier League fixture versus Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium this weekend.

“They have started the season well, so of course, Tottenham (will win),” he joked in an interview on CBS Sports with former Arsenal forward Thierry Henry – who earlier said the England captain “looked good in red and white”.

Conor Benn insists proven drug cheats should be banned for life as he prepares to reignite his career.

The 26-year-old has not fought since April 2022 after failing two voluntary drugs tests, but has vehemently protested his innocence and has been cleared to fight Mexico’s Rodolfo Orozco this weekend in Orlando.

Benn, in Florida ahead of Saturday’s fight with 24-year-old super-welterweight Orozco at Caribe Royale, said: “It hasn’t changed how I feel. They can take your hair follicles, your nails, science doesn’t lie.

“They can solve murder cases from 10-15 years ago. They can definitely tell if there are any abnormalities in an individual’s body over the last six months to a year.

“So if the science comes back and it’s proven doping, ban for life. Ban for life. See you later. There’s no room for it.

“But if you are innocent, don’t let it be a trial by media or politics. That’s all this is. This is nothing to do with my innocence.”

Benn tested positive for clomifene after two Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) tests in the build-up to his scheduled fight with Chris Eubank Jr last October.

He was formally charged by UK Anti-Doping in April and it was announced in July he had been cleared by an independent National Anti-Doping Panel.

But UKAD and the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) appealed against the decision to lift Benn’s provisional suspension last month, which prevented the son of former two-weight world champion Nigel Benn being able to resume his boxing career in his home country.

Hearn said a clash with Chris Eubank Jr could happen in the UK in December and that he had already received offers from international venues to stage the fight.

Benn’s positive tests were conducted by VADA for the WBC, which cleared the boxer of any wrongdoing in February, pointing to an “elevated consumption of eggs” for the findings.

The Londoner, who has criticised the governing body’s handling of his case, said: “The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have done a case study on this, so how does nobody know about it?

“How come two other fighters have tested positive (for clomifene) within this year and two cyclists, all tested positive, all in trace amounts.

“People need to look into this further. How can it be strict liability when it’s in our food?

“The case study has been done and it happens to be that the scientific evidence matches up to the case study.

“They did a test and someone digested a tablet and someone was contaminated via food and it shows up completely differently in the body. It metabolises differently in the body.

“My case is clear, that it’s come from food because it shows in certain parts of the body it wasn’t digested via a tablet.”

Daniel Levy has revealed for the first time he would be “open” to selling his stake in Tottenham if it was right for the club.

Levy has been Spurs chairman since 2001 and runs affairs for majority shareholder ENIC, which owns 86.58 per cent of the club while the other 13.42 per cent of shares are held by around 30,000 individuals.

The first half of 2023 proved tumultuous for Tottenham and as a result Levy faced several calls from supporters to leave his position, but the mood in N17 has been transformed following the June appointment of head coach Ange Postecoglou.

Positivity is growing on the pitch but unrest off it remains bubbling under the surface with fans protesting before last month’s win over Manchester United due to the club’s decision to increase match day ticket prices for this season.

Meanwhile, Joe Lewis – Tottenham owner until October when he ceased to be “a person with significant control” and the club shares were handed over to his family trust – was indicted on charges of insider trading in America in July.

Takeover interest in Tottenham has grown since the club opened its 62,850-seater stadium in 2019 and earlier this year Levy met with Qatar Sports Investments chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi to reportedly discuss QSI purchasing a minority stake, although this was denied by Spurs.

During an interview with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Levy confirmed the club’s shareholders would be open to selling the club if a “serious proposition” was put forward.

“I’ve got no real interest to leave Tottenham, but I have a duty to consider anything that anyone may want to propose,” Levy said.

“It’s not about me, it’s about what’s right for the club. We have 30,000 shareholders who own approximately 13.5 per cent. We run this club as if it is a public company.

“If anyone wants to make serious propositions to the board of Tottenham, we will consider it along with our advisors. And if we felt it was in the interests of the club, we would be open to anything.”

Catalans Dragons head coach Steve McNamara is relishing the “excitement and anticipation” of one of the tightest ever finishes to a regular Betfred Super League season on Friday night.

Catalans are one of three clubs, along with Wigan and St Helens, who head into the final round locked together on 38 points in the race to land the League Leaders’ Shield.

Arguably more important is the incentive to confirm a top-two slot, which will guarantee a single home fixture in the play-offs to reach the Grand Final at Old Trafford on October 14.

McNamara, whose side head for Salford having given their hopes a mathematical boost with a 61-0 humiliation of Leeds in Perpignan last weekend, believes the scenario is exactly what the game required.

“I think the whole competition is looking on it with excitement and anticipation, and no-one is really sure where any of the teams are going to finish,” said McNamara.

“We’ve put ourselves in a great position by winning the game in a good fashion last week, but anything can happen and all the coaches involved will just be concentrating on getting their own performance right.”

First-placed Wigan are in the strongest position, heading to near-neighbours Leigh in the knowledge that a win will all but mathematically ensure them of top spot.

Likewise, Catalans are assured of at least second place if they win at Salford – barring an improbable points swing – while Saints, who are at home to Hull FC, can capitalise if they win and either of the teams above them slip up.

“This ending is what we’ve always wanted,” said Wigan head coach Matt Peet.

“Every game has mattered in the last few weeks, and it makes the competition more interesting. It’s right down to the wire, it’s great to be involved and it’s what professional sport should be about.”

Leigh’s play-off place is already secure, but they may need a win to confirm home advantage against their Challenge Cup final opponents Hull KR.

The fast-finishing Robins head to relegated Wakefield in the knowledge that if Leigh lose and they win with a 34-point swing, next week’s play-off elimination clash will take place at Craven Park rather than Leigh Sports Village.

Meanwhile Salford could still nip into sixth slot if they upset Catalans, but only if Warrington, who currently sit in the final place, lose at Huddersfield.

Saints boss Paul Wellens admits his own side are least likely to seal a top-two place, meaning they would face a home elimination play-off next week, followed by a prospective trip to the south of France in the semi-final.

“We know that out of the three we’re probably least likely to finish top,” said Wellens. “If you’re within 20 or 30 points it does maybe alter your thinking, but now the points difference is out of the question.

“We’ve just got to turn up to win the game against Hull and see what happens. Salford and Leigh are difficult places to go. All three teams at the top face a tough challenge.”

David Raya insists he always backed himself to become Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper – but admits he does not know if he will start Sunday’s north London derby.

The Spain international joined the Gunners on loan from Brentford this summer in a switch which, in all likelihood, will be made permanent for £27million next year.

Raya was signed to compete with Aaron Ramsdale for the gloves and made his Arsenal debut in last weekend’s 1-0 win at Everton, retaining his place in the team for Wednesday’s 4-0 Champions League victory over PSV Eindhoven.

Arsenal’s decision to recruit the 28-year-old to battle it out with Ramsdale drew criticism and caution from some pundits but manager Mikel Arteta believes he can keep both happy.

Asked if he had to believe he could oust Ramsdale after the England goalkeeper’s strong showings last season, Raya replied: “Of course, it is something every player has to do – to back yourself to get in the team and that is why I moved to Arsenal and try to do my best for the team when I’m selected.

“You never know when you’re going to play and that is the hardest thing to do. Making your debut for a club like Arsenal, and obviously having Aaron as a team-mate makes it a bit harder for you, but it came quick but you never know when it is going to be and you have to be ready.

“It is a dream come true to play at the highest level so I’m very pleased to make my debut, but the main thing was the result and we got the three points in the end, so that is the main thing.”

Raya will be widely expected to keep his place between the posts for Sunday’s Premier League clash at home to Tottenham, even with Arteta claiming he has considered swapping his goalkeepers during matches let alone rotating between fixtures.

“I understand that and I think it is the first time that two top goalkeepers are in the same team,” Raya said of the possibility of the goalkeepers being switched.

“That is just part of football now and the gaffer wants two top players for each position and that is what we have to work with. I have played the last two games and now we see what happens on Sunday.

“I’ve just been selected the last two games, that is just the choice of the gaffer – that is his choice, not my choice and when Aaron comes in he will need to also fight for the team and to win games.

“He (Ramsdale) has been great, he is a great team-mate, a leader as well. He is a great lad and a great keeper as well, we are team-mates and that is the main thing. We are team-mates at the end of the day.”

Matilda Picotte is likely to return to Newmarket for next month’s Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Challenge Stakes following her impressive victory at Doncaster last week.

Kieran Cotter’s star filly won a Listed race on the Rowley Mile at the end of her juvenile campaign and returned to Headquarters to finish third in the 1000 Guineas in May.

The three-year-old notched her first win of the season when dominating her rivals in the Group Three Sceptre Stakes on Sunday – and while a possible trip to France for the Prix de la Foret was mooted by Cotter afterwards, she is set to stick to more familiar surroundings on October 13.

“The plan is to go to the Challenge Stakes in Newmarket. She’s had two runs there, winning the Bosra Sham and finishing third in the Guineas, so that’s where we’ll probably head,” Cotter confirmed.

“The race in France (Prix de la Foret) is on Sunday week and she’s had two runs in a fortnight now already, so we’ll let her recover from that.

“She was third in the Lowther in York last season when the ground was on the quick side, but in an ideal world we’d prefer a bit of ease in the ground. I’m sure at this time of year we’ll get that.”

Cotter revealed a decision on Matilda Picotte’s long-term future will be made after her next run.

He added: “It’d be nice (to keep her in training next year), (but) the plan all along was to sell at the end of the year at the mares’ sale.

“Things can change depending on how things go, but we said all along that you probably wouldn’t see the best of her until the backend of this year.

“Without a doubt I’d say her performance last Sunday was her best run to date. Interestingly, someone was saying to me the other day she actually ran the first five furlongs faster than the winner of the five-furlong Listed race afterwards (Rogue Lightning), and she’d still two furlongs to run. That kind of puts it in perspective a little.

“She’s an exciting horse to have for a small yard.”

Jason Roy has turned down the chance to rejoin England for two games against Ireland, increasing doubts over his international future.

Somerset’s Tom Kohler-Cadmore was officially called up to replace Joe Root for the second and third games of the Metro Bank Series on Thursday, with the latter taking a scheduled break ahead of next month’s World Cup, but it is understood Roy rejected the spot.

The experienced opener was ruthlessly dropped from the squad for next month’s World Cup despite being named in the provisional 15, a second cruel blow having also been cut from the T20 side on the eve of the short-form World Cup last year.

He missed the recent series against New Zealand with back spasms, paving the way for Dawid Malan and Harry Brook to edge him out of the trip to India, but England had not closed the door on the 33-year-old and invited him to link up with the shadow group who face the Irish on Saturday and Tuesday.

National selector Luke Wright also suggested that Roy was being viewed as first-choice reserve for the World Cup should there be any injuries in the top three, but admitted uncertainty over the player’s state of mind.

By sitting out the forthcoming fixtures at Trent Bridge and Bristol, Roy is allowing others to make a case in his absence in what could be a tacit admission that his own time is over.

He had already predicted a “changing of the guard” was due in England’s ageing team after the World Cup and a permanent place on the lucrative franchise circuit may now beckon.

Tottenham captain Son Heung-min is eager to right the wrongs of last season’s north London derby results and knows Arsenal will not want to face them.

Spurs lost 3-1 and 2-0 to their closest rivals during the 2022-23 campaign, which allowed Arsenal to complete a first double in this fixture since 2014.

Last season proved to be a nadir for Tottenham with a number of managerial changes followed by an eighth-placed finish, but the appointment of Ange Postecoglou has transformed the mood in N17.

Postecoglou claimed the Premier League manager of the month award for August and Spurs will travel to the Emirates Stadium on a four-match winning streak in the division.

“Any away game is tough in the Premier League, it’s not easy. We had a tough year at Arsenal last season,” Son acknowledged.

“I know what it means for the club, the fans and players as well. We should understand what kind of game it is. It’s going to be a really difficult game but they won’t want to face us at this time.

“We just have to give it everything we have and it will be a difficult game for both sides, but we’re looking forward to this game because it’s the right time to play against them. We’ll have a good game.”

While Tottenham have enjoyed a flying start to life under Postecoglou, Arsenal warmed up for Sunday’s clash with a 4-0 victory over PSV Eindhoven on their Champions League return.

Spurs were also rocked this week by the news Ivan Perisic has suffered a complex anterior cruciate ligament injury to his right knee.

It will reduce Postecoglou’s options from the bench and Bryan Gil, who had surgery on his groin in August, is still working his way back to full fitness and not training with the first-team group yet.

Nevertheless, Son will remind the squad and any new arrivals in the coming days of the importance of this weekend’s fixture.

He added: “It is a special game, for them as well. The result is probably the most important of the season. Look, we had a tough year of away games, it was tough to take. Winning is never free.

“You go there and you won’t get three points for free. We wish we could get them for free. Go there, get three points and come back. It sounds easy but it’s never like that.

“We have to work hard, we’re working hard in the week. The players are ready and looking forward to it. I’m pretty sure they don’t want to face us at this moment. I guarantee we’re going to give everything. The result I can’t promise you, but one thing I can guarantee is we’re going to give everything for this club on Sunday.”

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