The biggest week of the racing year has arrived. That's right, we're back at the point of the year where everyone is a tipster, new account special offers are being gobbled up like the free money they claim to be, your mate's dad's best mate can tell you for certain that he knows a trainer who has a horse who will 100% definitely win the third race of the day and water cooler conversations in work are to be avoided at all costs lest you hear an alternative to the sure fire tip you have already backed. Yep, it's Cheltenham week. The action gets underway today at 1.30pm in Prestbury Park with the Champion Hurdle taking centre stage among four Grade 1 races on the first day. Our man in the Cotswolds is Brian O'Connor and he writes this morning that Laurina can prove she's the real deal and become just the fifth mare ever to claim Champion Hurdle honours. Elsewhere you can find Patrick Madden's all you need to know guide to the Festival which will leave you with no more questions to ask and you can also join our liveblog of all the action from 1pm. You can also read Brian O'Connor's day one preview from the racecourse as well as his interview with Barry Geraghty 20 years on from his Festival debut. Finally, if you fancy a flutter, take a look at Tony Keenan's day one tips.
On to rugby and we're not far out now from the final weekend of the Six Nations when Wales will look to complete a Grand Slam, Ireland will look to stop them and hope that, if Scotland can do a favour, retain the Championship title. If Joe Schmidt has done virtually everything during his time in charge of Ireland, the one thing he has failed to do is beat Wales on home soil. On Saturday he will look to do that in his final Six Nations match against the near neighbourse and he admits it is a box he would very much like to tick off. But Wales and Warren Gatland will be determined to make sure that that does not happen if they are to claim the Grand Slam. In his column this morning Gerry Thornley writes that the fixtures have fallen nicely for Gatland and his team but that they have still be extremely impressive to put themselves in this position. In domestic rugby, the 2019/20 Pro14 season will start a month later than normal this year and games will continue during the Rugby World Cup. The competition will kick off on Friday, September 27th and there will be three rounds of games before a break for the weekend of the World Cup quarter-finals on October 19th and 20th.
In soccer it's another busy week of Champions League knockout action with plenty of room for more of the drama we witnessed last week in Paris and Madrid. This evening Manchester City will look to avoid any shocks when they take a 3-2 aggregate lead into the second leg of their tie with Schalke in a competition that Pep Guardiola yesterday said they are "still teenagers" in. In the nights other tie Juventus have a major job on their hands if they are to emulate the exploits of Manchester United and come from 2-0 down to advance. Massimiliano Allegri's side have the slightly easier task of being at home in the second leg but nonetheless it will take something special to deny Atletico Madrid a place in the quarter-finals as they seek to reach what would be a home final in the Wanda Metrepolitano on June 1st. Tomorrow Liverpool will face Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena after their 0-0 draw in the first leg at Anfield and Virgil van Dijk has sounded a warning to his team that they must be ready for a "big fight". Yesterday the Birmingham City fan who attacked Jack Grealish during the second city derby on Sunday was jailed for 14 weeks. In a society that seems to be increasingly brimming with rage, Barney Ronay asks what causes such incidents to happen.
Moving on to GAA and this Saturday is set to be a bumper day of action across both codes as the three Allianz Hurling League quarter-finals are set to take place, as well as the relegation playoff between Kilkenny and Cork while there are also 16 football matches down for decision across all four divisions. In those hurling quarter-finals Waterford will meet Clare and it will be interesting to see if they make use once again of their innovative sideline cut method which Shane Bennett and Jamie Barron demonstrated so well on Sunday. Also today, Ian O'Riordan speaks to Liberian refugee Boidu Sayeh about his continuing rise with Westmeath.
Finally to golf and Rory McIlroy was left unruffled by yet more final round frustrations on Sunday when he started the day one shot off the lead in the final group but, again, never quite managed to mount a challenge. The four-time Major winner has finished in the top six on all five appearances so far this season and will hope to finally turn that good form into a win at the Players Championship this weekend.
