Zanzoun will head for the French Guineas after victory in the historic Nell Gwyn as Newmarket opens doors

After weeks of unseasonably warm temperatures, the only hint of spring as Newmarket opened its doors for a new season here on Tuesday was a small flight of ­swallows over the Rowley Mile – back from Africa in time for a wet and chilly first day at the Craven meeting. Weather-wise, it felt more like Plumpton in January than the home of Flat racing on the first afternoon of a new campaign.

But the conditions could not dampen the sense of opening-day anticipation as the first of 2025’s Guineas hopefuls went to post for their Classic trials on the Rowley Mile, before a potential tilt at racing immortality back here in less than three weeks.

• Vice-president unable to hang on to trophy
• Buckeyes were celebrating last season’s title win

JD Vance, the man entrusted as America’s back-up in times of emergency, may not be the safest pair of hands if Monday’s events are anything to go by. The vice-president ended the Ohio State football team’s visit to the White House by fumbling the team’s national championship trophy.

After laudatory speeches by Donald Trump, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day and Vance on the South Lawn, the Vance – an Ohio State graduate – tried to lift the trophy. He didn’t appear to realize that the top of the trophy is detachable from its base. After a moment of struggle, the vice-president lost his grip on the two pieces. OSU running back TreVeyon Henderson, standing behind Vance, grabbed the football-shaped top of the trophy, but the base fell to the ground, forcing Vance to grasp around as it rolled away from him.

It falls to the squeezed middle to breathe life into the 2024-25 Premier League season. The battle for European places is some way off being decided. Thanks to an early goal and a dogged defensive display that went against type, Bournemouth have relaunched their candidacy.

After ransacking champions-elect Liverpool, inconsistencies have stopped Marco Silva’s Fulham being a true contender for the top five. Victory in Dorset could have placed them in the Justin Rose, striking-distance position. Instead, Bournemouth leapfrogged the Londoners into eighth.

Nick Faldo has more majors and Seve Ballesteros was a majestic shotmaker but the career grand slam is priceless

In Northern Ireland, debate is already raging as to whether Rory McIlroy has presented himself as the country’s greatest ever sportsperson.

The answer is surely obvious. Step aside, George Best. McIlroy’s Masters triumph may even force Sports Personality of the Year to afford due recognition to golf. It is only April but it feels highly unlikely the scene immediately after McIlroy claimed the Masters on Sunday will be matched. His pounding of the turf; his tears absorbed more than a decade of such deep frustration. The moment reverberated beyond sport; Rory had done it. Grown men, lots of them, shed tears on his behalf as he broke his Augusta hoodoo.

• Manager pays tribute to NHS for ‘specialist care’
• Howe watched win over Manchester United from hospital

Eddie Howe remains in hospital on Tyneside but is said to be on the road to recovery after being diagnosed with pneumonia.

The Newcastle manager was admitted late on Friday night and, as he underwent a series of tests over the weekend, anxious club officials offered no updates regarding his condition. That changed on Monday afternoon when they released a statement announcing his diagnosis and including a message from Howe thanking medical staff for their care and the wider football community for their good wishes.

• Dutchman finished sixth at Sakhir circuit
• Horner says team need to react ‘very quickly’

Senior figures at Red Bull held crisis talks after the Bahrain Grand Prix finished with a deeply dissatisfied Max Verstappen languishing in sixth place. But the team principal, ­Christian Horner, admitted there will be no quick fix.

Horner conceded the team have problems that need to be addressed as soon as possible, but he said: “This race has exposed some pitfalls that are obviously very clear that we need to get on top of very quickly. Ultimately you can mask it a little through setup and we were able to achieve that last weekend in Suzuka. We understand where the issues are, it’s introducing the solutions that obviously take a little more time.”

• Northern Irishman shot 73 before playoff
• Secures first major since 2014 PGA Championship

Rory McIlroy, Masters champion. Four words that belie what this remarkable Northern Irishman achieved on a spine-tingling afternoon at Augusta National. They ignore, too, the torturous process McIlroy endured to realise this lifetime goal.

Did he win the 89th Masters the hard way? Too right he did. From a seemingly untouchable position, McIlroy was dragged back into a scrap he was so desperate to avoid. He emerged from it on the first extra hole, where the unlikely adversary of Justin Rose was nudged aside. Rory McIlroy, Masters champion.

• No update on condition but Howe well enough to watch
• Assistant Tindall took charge for Manchester United win

Eddie Howe remains in hospital with an unspecified illness but was well enough to watch on television as his Newcastle side beat Manchester United 4-1 at St James’ Park yesterdayon Sunday.

Jason Tindall, his assistant who took charge in the home technical area, said he was able to offer no update on Howe’s condition but added that he had received a congratulatory post‑match text from the manager.

• George Russell finishes second; Lando Norris third
• Ferrari’s Leclerc and Hamilton take fourth and fifth

Flawless was the assessment of Oscar Piastri’s race engineer after the Australian delivered a consummate victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix. Calm and controlled throughout, this was a champion’s drive from Piastri that has made it abundantly clear he is in contention to return the championship this season.

Tom Stallard, a 2008 Olympic rowing silver medallist for Great Britain, is Piastri’s engineer but the Australian, unflappable, barely needed so much as a gentle nudge from him all race, such was the ease with which he drove from pole to flag to take McLaren’s first victory at the Sakhir circuit.

• ‘It was emotional because of Hillsborough anniversary’
• Slot says focus is on getting two more wins, not contracts

Arne Slot said Liverpool’s only focus is on securing the two wins needed to secure the Premier League title, after Virgil van Dijk indicated his contract saga could be resolved this week.

The Dutchman gave Liverpool a fortunate victory against West Ham with an 89th-minute header and cele­brated by kissing the badge on his shirt in front of the Kop. The captain’s goal means Liverpool require only six points from the remaining six games to seal the championship.