Redknapp‘s Gold Cup hopes faded but the impossible dream is on to save Spurs

Harry Redknapp is the living embodiment of Spurs’ motto, Audere est Facere: To Dare Is To Do. And on the day one improbable dream ended, with his horse The Jukebox Man fading to finish eighth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the 79-year-old switched his sights towards another bold adventure: saving Tottenham from relegation.“It’s a big challenge,” said Redknapp, who managed Spurs between 2008 and 2012. “Do I need the pressure at this stage of my life? Why not? I’d give it a go. I’m not too old

Process is progress as Scotland seek Six Nations title eliminator triumph

Trusting the process. It sounds like a fine idea in principle: although it really depends if your process was any good in the first place.Gregor Townsend faced down a familiar cacophony of criticism after Scotland’s opening defeat by Italy last month. The same old shortcomings had been exposed, it was said, and another year of disappointment beckoned. Townsend had insisted the embarrassing capitulation against Argentina in November, from 21-0 ahead, was a “line in the sand moment” – only to see that line swiftly washed away in the sheeting Roman rain

F1 expected to cancel Bahrain and Saudi GPs due to Middle East conflict

Formula One is poised to cancel races scheduled for next month in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, as a result of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.The sport has not yet formally confirmed the grands prix will be scrapped but it is expected to announce their cancellation as soon as this weekend before the meeting in Shanghai is over.The races were due to take place on 12 April in Bahrain and 19 April in Saudi Arabia but the sport is rapidly approaching the point at which a decision on cancellation needs to be made to prevent more freight being sent to Bahrain. The Sakhir circuit is only 20 miles (32km) from a US base that has already been the target of Iranian attacks.Some team freight is already stuck in Bahrain, having been unable to move since testing, and understandably there is no appetite for having more equipment dispatched only to become unretrievable

F1’s Chinese GP, Six Nations finale and Women’s League Cup final – follow with us

George Russell is the driver to beat in Shanghai after his dominant win in Australia, and Mercedes will be in contention for another one-two finish in China. The only team who came close to crashing the party were Ferrari, but a pit strategy snafu blew their chances. A drive from seventh to second for Russell’s teammate Kimi Antonelli showed how Mercedes can sweep past other teams even if the start doesn’t go their way. By the time qualifying gets under way, the season’s first sprint race will have taken place, with Russell having taken pole position. Joey Lynch helms our lap-by-lap live blog

How Mercedes stole a march to dominate F1 season opener and why it may continue

As Formula One grapples with its new, controversial regulations, there is consensus at least that Mercedes are expected to be on top once more in the second race of the season on Sunday in Shanghai. The team have a fearsome car but most importantly in a formula dominated by the engine, appear to have also stolen a march in optimising the dark art of energy management.George Russell and Kimi Antonelli claimed a one-two at the opening round in Australia last weekend. In qualifying Russell was eight-tenths quicker than Mercedes’ nearest rival, the Red Bull of Isack Hadjar and in the grand prix itself finished 15 seconds in front of third-placed Charles Leclerc having eased up in the final third of the race.They were once more comfortably the two quickest drivers in qualifying for Saturday’s sprint race in China

Great haul of China: how table-topping nation rose to be a Winter Paralympic power

With two days of competition left at the Winter Paralympics there is no doubt who will finish top of the medal table. At close of play on Friday, China had a total of 33 medals, the same as their nearest rivals the USA and Italy combined. They have won gold in four of the Games’ six sports – cross-country skiing, curling, snowboarding and biathlon – and are in line for a medal in para-ice hockey too. This sporting dominance is all the more striking because, only eight years ago, China was nowhere.At the Pyeongchang Games, the Chinese won a solitary medal, gold in the mixed team curling