Queens Gamble is set to continue her hurdling education at Newbury over the Christmas period, with Harry Derham keen to run her in handicap company as he builds up her experience over obstacles.

A high-class bumper performer when trained by Oliver Sherwood, she made it two from two over timber on her first run for Derham, winning comfortably in the hands of Johnny Burke at Kempton.

A step up to Listed company at Newbury had been mooted following that triumph, but although connections are still planning to head to the Berkshire track next, they have decided to test the waters in a handicap on the course’s December 30 card.

“She’s fine, everything is well and there are no problems at all,” said Derham.

“As I said on the day at Kempton, Newbury was an option but I wasn’t going to commit to it and we brought her home and all of us thought about it and we’re going to run her in a handicap on Challow Hurdle day.

“It’s a 0-125 and we think some experience in a handicap hurdle will help her. That’s our plan and she’s very well and we’re very happy with her. She won well at Kempton and hopefully she will keep progressing.”

The ultimate aim for Queens Gamble will be a return to the Cheltenham Festival and Derham will test progressive Newbury scorer Young Butler’s suitability for a spot on the teamsheet for March when he lines up at Prestbury Park on New Year’s Day.

Having won a Pertemps qualifier on his stable bow, Young Butler has the series final on his radar for the spring, but one horse set for an easy period is the Andy Mitchell-owned Dargiannini, who suffered a setback following his third win for the Derham operation at Kempton recently.

“Dargiannini had a bit of a setback. He was fine after the race, then about a week after the race he went lame,” said the handler.

“He’s having a bit of time off and hopefully he will come right in a couple of weeks. We’re just going to have to bide our time a little bit with him, which is a shame because he has been an absolute superstar for me and won three races in under a year and been great.

“I wouldn’t think the Pertemps would be an option. Three miles round Cheltenham wouldn’t suit him. We tried three miles in the spring round Haydock, which is a much easier track, and Paul (O’Brien) didn’t think he got home, so round Cheltenham it will be much more difficult.”

Derham went on: “We are hoping Young Butler, who won a Pertemps qualifier at Newbury, could be a Pertemps horse.

“He’s going to run at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day to see if he likes it and can act round there. If he does, then he could be a candidate for the Pertemps and is at the right end of the handicap.

“Poor Dargiannini is 143 now, which will make life really tough, but Young Butler is off 126 and he could still have a bit of improvement in his rating.”

Peter Fahey is targeting the Cheltenham Festival with The Big Doyen following an encouraging performance at the track during the November Meeting.

The six-year-old has banked plenty of experience over hurdles and has been an improver since stepping up in trip in his most recent starts, winning at Galway in the summer before placing at both Limerick in October and when outstayed by two useful prospects in a Grade Two at Prestbury Park last time out.

His handler has taken plenty of positives from that raiding mission and is now eyeing a return to Gloucestershire in the spring for a tilt at one of the Festival handicaps, with a drop back in trip for the County Hurdle a plausible option.

“He ran a very good race (at Cheltenham) and what I really liked was how well he settled,” said Fahey.

“He settled really well and it looked like he was just outstayed in the race.

“He took the travelling over there really well and hopefully we can aim him back at one of the handicaps there during the Festival.”

The trainer went on: “Even the County Hurdle (would be an option) because even though he was very keen in all his races (previously) over two miles, the way he jumped and travelled the last day, at two miles I think he was going best of all.

“He definitely had more pace than his rivals that day and just didn’t get home.

“I think definitely over there when it is a true run race, I think two miles might be as far as he wants.

“He will have plenty of options and he will definitely have an entry in the Martin Pipe as well, and we will see what happens.”

In the immediate future, Fahey is considering a tilt at the Grade One Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 27 and although he could face a stern test, it is a race that could allow The Big Doyen to add to his prize-money haul.

“At the moment, we have done an entry and we’re just looking at how things are between now and then,” continued Fahey.

“There is a good chance he will run there and he has a good bit of experience and it isn’t usually the biggest of fields. So, if he could get himself placed, he could pick up a good lump of prize-money and that would be great.

“But I do think the future for him would be in those good handicaps.”

Cannock Park is set to have his sights raised over the Christmas period when he heads to Aintree for the Formby Novices’ Hurdle.

The exciting prospect, who is the star of Borders handler Paul Robson’s fledgling string, was a convincing bumper winner at Bangor in October before immediately switching his attentions to timber and making a successful hurdling debut at Cheltenham the following month.

He downed some well-regarded opponents when making all at Prestbury Park and Robson is confident that there is more to come following an interrupted build-up to his jumping bow.

The handler is now keen to test the five-year-old’s big-race capabilities in Aintree’s Boxing Day Grade One, the feature of their newly-created Christmas meeting.

“He didn’t have the easiest of run-ups to the race, he had a small infection in his leg and he had a bit of an accident two or three weeks before,” explained Robson.

“He missed two or three weeks’ work going into Cheltenham, so I think there is definitely improvement to come on his fitness and he’s come back from Cheltenham all OK.

“I imagine we will now run him in what was the Tolworth at Aintree, I think a flat track will suit him best.”

In the immediate aftermath of Cannock Park’s Cheltenham victory, Robson was keen to keep things low-key and head to Wetherby for a simple novice event before thinking of bigger things.

However, a second look at the fixture list and an urge to find out just what is lurking under the exciting youngster’s bonnet has seen the lofty festive target enter the picture and a race that could help map out the rest of the gelding’s season.

Robson continued: “Looking at the race at Cheltenham, we think a flat track is going to be a lot better for his attributes and when we started looking at the programme, there wasn’t actually a race at Wetherby, funnily enough.

“When we looked at the calendar and saw the Tolworth had been moved to Aintree, it gives him a good chance to go there.

“I think we are right to say we would be dreaming to think he is a Supreme horse on the back of winning a Class Two maiden hurdle at Cheltenham, I think he certainly has to go and run in a high grade of race now to give us the nod whether he was good or not.

“Even if he was good enough, I think I would sidestep the Supreme and probably take him back to Aintree again in April – I think that would be more likely, but we will see.”

Despite shaping with real promise over the smaller obstacles, it appears the old cliché of ‘anything he achieves over hurdles is a bonus’ applies to Cannock Park and his training team are already looking forward to when their point winner jumps a fence in 12 months’ time.

“Before he ran at Cheltenham, we knew what we had and he was always going to be a better chaser than he was a hurdler – and the way he jumps would suggest that,” said Robson.

“So, we’re just along for the ride this season unless he turns out to be extra special, but we will find out in the Tolworth.

“He’s a very nice horse and we’re lucky to have him, he’s been a real find.”

Nicky Henderson says there is a “good chance” both Constitution Hill and Shishkin could run in the rearranged Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday.

Both missed their intended races at Newcastle on Saturday, with the meeting lost to the weather, and the two jumping stars ended up spending Friday night at Doncaster racecourse on their way back to Lambourn.

Henderson mooted the possibility of Shishkin reverting to hurdles in preparation for a crack at the King George VI Chase at the weekend, having refused to race on his intended comeback at Ascot and the weather then intervening before the Rehearsal Chase.

However, it now seems like he may be joined by his esteemed stablemate, who initially looked an unlikely runner in the rearranged race.

“There’s a good chance they could both run,” said Henderson.

“Shishkin needs a run and I think this is the easiest and kindest way to do it.

“It is only 17 days before the King George and the alternative is the Peterborough Chase but I like the idea of this.

“He was a very good two-mile chaser and so he shouldn’t find it too sharp. I admit he did get taken off his feet a little in last year’s Tingle Creek but this is a good idea for a race before the King George.

“The start won’t be a problem – he says bravely – he won’t be wearing cheekpieces and we hope he has a nice time.”

He went on: “As for Constitution Hill, we’ve ummed and ahhed the whole weekend and when I went to bed I wasn’t going to enter him, but I’ve woken up this morning with a different idea. I haven’t been able to make my mind up, so I’ve put him in.

“There’s a pretty good chance he’ll run, I’d say.

“It’s going to be a wet week but he goes in heavy ground. I’d say he’s more likely to run than not but it is a very difficult call, so everyone just needs to bear with us.

“I suspect both might run. They travelled all over the country together last weekend, so they are new best friends.”

There are eight entries for the Fighting Fifth, and they include Gordon Elliott’s Irish Point, a Grade One novice winner from last season.

Love Envoi, You Wear It Well, Benson, Goshen and Not So Sleepy complete the list.

Henderson’s Jonbon is one of six in the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase along with Captain Guinness, Boothill, Edwardstone, Haddex Des Obeaux and Nube Negra.

Joe Tizzard’s JPR One is one of seven in the Betfair Henry VIII Novices’ Chase.

Kristaps Porzingis will be absent as the Boston Celtics aim to seal their place in the last four of the NBA's in-season tournament.

Porzingis has missed the Celtics' last three games after sustaining a calf injury in a defeat to the Orlando Magic on November 24.

And the Latvian, who joined Boston from the Washington Wizards in the off-season, will not recover in time to face the Indiana Pacers on Monday.

Porzingis is averaging 18.9 points, just slightly below his career average (19.6), across his 15 games this season. Tyrese Hailburton, meanwhile, is a doubt for the Pacers.

The winner of Monday's quarter-final will head to Las Vegas for the semi-finals.

Bernardo Silva feels Manchester City suffered a “very, very bad” decision against Tottenham but admits the team also need to do their own job better.

City’s players, and particularly Erling Haaland, reacted furiously when they were denied the chance to play advantage in the closing moments of a thrilling 3-3 draw on Sunday after the Norwegian striker had been fouled.

Haaland had shrugged off the challenge from Emerson Royal to play Jack Grealish through on goal, but referee Simon Hooper pulled play back to award the hosts at the Etihad Stadium a free-kick.

Haaland continued to voice his anger as he left the field after the final whistle and he later went even further by posting a remark criticising Hooper on social media.

Team-mate Silva was less emotional in his verdict.

“It is a bad decision and everyone saw it,” said the Portuguese midfielder. “But at the end we are all humans.

“The referee probably is the first one to know it was a very, very bad decision because he (Grealish) was one on one with the keeper and it could have given us the three points.

“It is a tough one to take, but in the end it is what it is, it’s football, and sometimes people make mistakes.”

City, however, also had themselves to blame after spurning a hatful of chances to claim what could have been a comfortable victory, with Haaland among the guilty parties.

City led 2-1 at the break thanks to a Phil Foden goal after Son Heung-min had scored at both ends in the opening nine minutes.

Jeremy Doku and Julian Alvarez also hit the woodwork in the first half, while Haaland missed an open goal after one of numerous Spurs errors.

Spurs recovered to level through Giovani Lo Celso, but it seemed Grealish had won it in the 81st minute, only for Dejan Kulusevski to equalise again in the 90th minute.

It was City’s third successive draw and saw them slip to third in the Premier League.

Silva said: “We have been conceding late goals against Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and now Tottenham.

“At the end it is seven points. We could be four points ahead on top of the league if we did our job properly, which is kill the game, or at least don’t concede in the last minute. At this level those little details matter.

“We need to demand more from ourselves, each one of us.”

Spurs’ late equaliser ended their run of three successive defeats.

Kulusevski, who powered in the crucial goal off his shoulder, revealed the visitors’ stronger second-half showing came after some stern words from manager Ange Postecoglou during the break.

The Sweden international told the club’s website: “The coach was very angry at half-time. It was the first time I have seen him like that but he did the right thing.

“What we did was special in the second half. It is an unbelievable feeling. These moments in life are small. We have to enjoy them and just be thankful and be proud of the team.”

Frankie Dettori admitted that appearing on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! 2023 made him even hungrier than life as a jockey.

The Italian spent 12 days in camp before becoming the first contestant to be voted off this year’s ITV reality series.

Dettori said: “I’ve been dieting for 30 years, but this takes you to another level. The heat, the fatigue of the jungle.

“We just needed some fuel in our stomach, you can feel your body actually slowing down and shutting off. Even a handful of rice put us back up.

“It’s been challenging, I’ll be honest with you, but great, fantastic camp.”

Following an incredible career in Britain which has brought him 23 Classic victories, the 52-year-old is now set to resume riding in California.

Reflecting on his time in the jungle, Dettori told hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly: “It’s been so surreal and what an adventure.

“Yesterday, it really hit me when we got the letters from the loved ones, you forget that there is a world outside, people watching you.

“You know, we’ve been out of our comfort zone for so long and it’s been so great.

“I did nearly two weeks in the jungle, I beat my fears of enclosed spaces and snakes, all in the same task. I met some wonderful people and it’s been a fantastic experience.”

Today’s meeting at Plumpton has been abandoned due to a waterlogged course.

The East Sussex venue had 37mm of rain over a period of 30 hours and, with further downpours forecast, there was no prospect for improvement.

This afternoon’s card at Ayr had already been called off yesterday, with parts of the track frozen, leaving only an all-weather evening meeting at Wolverhampton.

Seven fixtures have now fallen to the weather over the past four days, including Saturday’s high-profile Fighting Fifth meeting at Newcastle.

Leicester and Southwell were cancelled due to snow on Sunday, while Carlisle did manage to race but were hit by 24 non-runners, largely because of travel problems.

Brad Marchand recorded a natural hat trick in the third period to rally the Boston Bruins to a 3-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday.

Marchand's three consecutive goals erased a 1-0 deficit and lifted the Bruins to a third consecutive victory following Monday's 5-2 loss at Columbus. Jeremy Swayman, who was pulled in the second period of that prior meeting, bounced back with 24 saves and Charlie McAvoy assisted on two of Marchand's goals.

After the Blue Jackets' Boone Jenner scored in the final minute of the second period to break a scoreless tie, Marchand had his shot deflect off Columbus defenseman Zach Werenski and into the net to pull Boston even less than two minutes into the third.

A pair of Columbus penalties soon afterward enabled the Bruins to move ahead, as Marchand converted on both power-play chances just over two minutes apart to give Boston a 3-1 lead 7:46 into the final period.

Spencer Martin had 25 saves for the Blue Jackets, who have lost two of three since Monday's win over Boston.

Panarin's three goals, one assist lift Rangers over Sharks

The New York Rangers' Artemi Panarin also had a three-goal day to help his team extend its own winning streak with Sunday's 6-5 victory over the San Jose Sharks.

Panarin added an assist on K'Andre Miller's eventual game-winning goal in the third period as New York held on for its third consecutive victory. Mika Zibanejad contributed a goal and an assist for the Rangers, who staved off a late comeback attempt after the Sharks scored twice in the final 5 1/2 minutes.

New York's Will Cuylle scored with 3:57 left in the second period to snap a 3-3 tie before Panarin completed his hat trick with less than five minutes elapsed in the third.

Panarin later set up Miller for a shot that beat Sharks' goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood to give the Rangers a 6-3 lead with just under seven minutes remaining.

Fabian Zetterlund and Alexander Barabanov scored 1:12 apart to bring San Jose within one, but the Sharks failed to get the equaliser and fell to 1-11-0 on the road. 

First-period goals from Anthony Duclair and Ryan Carpenter staked San Jose to an early 2-1 lead before Panarin scored his second of the game later in the first period. Zibanejad put the Rangers ahead later in the opening frame before Jacob MacDonald's power-play goal midway through the second period forged a 3-3 tie. 

Blackwood finished with 30 saves and Jonathan Quick made 23 stops for New York.

Kopitar sets Kings' assist record in win over Avalanche

Quinton Byfield scored two goals and Anže Kopitar set a franchise record for career assists to help the Los Angeles Kings to a 4-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche.

The Kings scored three unanswered goals in the third period to rebound from Friday's 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals that stopped a five-game winning streak. Trevor Moore and Drew Doughty helped Los Angeles pull away after Byfield snapped a 1-1 tie with 6:34 remaining.

Kopitar helped set up Byfield's second goal for his 758th assist in a Kings uniform, breaking a tie he had held with Marcel Dionne for the most in team history. 

Cam Talbot made 20 saves for Los Angeles, which outshot the Avalanche by a 23-5 margin during a dominant third period.

Josh Manson scored Colorado's lone goal with 7:32 left in the first period, but Byfield answered midway through the second with his first goal of the night.

Alexandar Georgiev stopped 34 of 37 shots for the Avalanche, who had a six-game point streak snapped and fell to 0-1-2 over their last three games.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett will reportedly miss two-to-four weeks with a right ankle injury he sustained in Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pickett will undergo surgery Monday and will be evaluated further following the procedure, leaving open the possibility he could be sidelined for a period longer than his initial timetable. 

Pickett was injured on a scramble attempt near the goal line during the second quarter of Pittsburgh's 24-10 loss to the Cardinals. The second-year pro was ruled out at half-time and had his right foot in a walking boot while on the sidelines during the second half.

Veteran Mitch Trubisky replaced Pickett and will start the Steelers' game against the New England Patriots on Thursday.

Trubisky began last season as Pittsburgh's No. 1 quarterback before being displaced by the then-rookie Pickett after four games. The former Chicago Bears' first-round pick went 2-3 in five overall starts in 2022 while compiling 1,252 passing yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions over seven total games.

Pickett completed seven of 10 passes for 70 yards before exiting to extend his franchise-record streak of pass attempts without an interception to 218, the longest streak of any quarterback this season as well. The 2022 first-round pick has not thrown an interception in eight consecutive starts to help put the Steelers in position for a playoff spot in the AFC.

At 7-5, Pittsburgh is one of four teams currently tied in the race for the conference's three wild card spots. The Steelers trail the first-place Baltimore Ravens by two games in the AFC North with five left to play.

For the season, Pickett has thrown for 2,070 yards with six touchdowns and four interceptions while completing 62 per cent of his pass attempts in 12 starts. 

Houston Texans rookie wide receiver Tank Dell will reportedly miss the rest of the season after fracturing his left fibula in Sunday's 22-17 win over the Denver Broncos.

The severity of the injury was reported by NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.

The injury occurred with about four minutes remaining in the first quarter when his leg was rolled over during Dameon Pierce's 3-yard touchdown run.

Dell remained on the ground in obvious pain and was helped onto a car, unable to put any weight on his left leg. He covered his face in a towel while being driven off the field.

As one of the favourite targets of fellow rookie C.J. Stroud, his injury is a big loss to Houston's offence.

The 24-year-old is second on the Texans with 47 catches for 709 yards. Among all rookies, his seven touchdown receptions are the most in the NFL and are also a franchise record.

He had a career-high 149 receiving yards and entered Week 13 as the third rookie in league history with at least five catches and a TD reception in four straight games.

After losing 13 games each of the last two seasons, the Texans are one of the bigger surprises in the NFL this year, as Sunday's win improved their record to 7-5.

Joao Felix undid his parent club as a first-half finish from the Portugal international earned Barcelona a 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium.

Felix lifted the ball over goalkeeper Jan Oblak in deft fashion in the 28th minute as Xavi’s men replaced Atletico in third in the LaLiga table, with a four-point gap to leaders Real Madrid and second-placed Girona

Sevilla were held 1-1 at home by Villarreal, Hector Bellerin was shown a red card in the 27th minute of Real Betis’ goalless draw at Almeria, and Mallorca and Alaves also drew a blank.

Kylian Mbappe inspired 10-man Paris St Germain to a 2-0 victory over Le Havre to send them four points clear of Nice at the top of Ligue 1.

PSG found themselves down to 10 men after just 10 minutes when goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was sent off for a high challenge on Josue Casimir.

The visitors went in front in the 23rd minute through Mbappe and while the hosts did their best to find an equaliser, Vitinha scored against the run of play in the 89th minute to seal three points.

Goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier saved two penalties as Lille claimed a 2-0 win at home to Metz. The 22-year-old denied Simon Elisor before two goals in first-half stoppage time from Yusuf Yazici and Jonathan David put Lille in control.

More heroics from Chevalier 10 minutes into the second half to keep out Lamine Camara’s penalty helped preserve victory for the home side.

Third-placed Monaco are two points behind Nice following a 2-0 win over 10-man Montpellier, who saw Boubakar Kouyate sent off in the second half, while Brest beat Clermont 3-0 and Toulouse played out a 1-1 draw with Lorient.

Both sides were reduced to 10 as Marseille beat Rennes 2-0 at home, Christopher Wooh being dismissed for the visitors just past the hour mark and Iliman Ndiaye going soon after.

Marseille’s goals came via an early Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang penalty and Azzedine Ounahi effort between the red cards.

Inter Milan moved back above Juventus to the top of Serie A with a 3-0 win at defending champions Napoli, with Hakan Calhanoglu, Nicolo Barella and Marcus Thuram on the scoresheet.

Rasmus Kristensen scored the winner for Roma as they came from behind to beat Sassuolo 2-1.

Matheus Henrique fired in a first-half opener for Sassuolo, but it all came undone after the break when Daniel Boloca was dismissed and Paulo Dybala scored from the spot, before Kristensen fired home a second.

A Lucas Beltran spot-kick and further goals from Riccardo Sottil and Giacomo Bonaventura earned Fiorentina a 3-0 victory over Salernitana, while Udinese and Verona drew 3-3.

Bologna looked poised for victory at Lecce but had to settle for a point after Roberto Piccoli’s penalty in the 10th minute of second-half stoppage time cancelled out Charalampos Lykogiannis’ 68th-minute opener.

In the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund were on course to leapfrog fourth-placed Leipzig with a vital victory at leaders Bayer Leverkusen after Julian Ryerson fired the visitors ahead after five minutes, but Victor Boniface salvaged a point when he levelled late in the second half.

Elsewhere, Augsburg beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 and Freiburg won 1-0 at Mainz.