As usual, the most spine-tingling moment of the week will come in the moment before the start of the opening contest, The Supreme Novice Hurdle.

History has proven the Festival to be a ruthless environment where only the toughest, most talented survive. This week will be no different. Some hotpots will enhance already lofty reputations while, for others, the bubble will burst. As ever, the challenge is what to trust and what to oppose, writes Darren Norris makes his picks.

The Festival has a long and storied history of producing compelling duels and, with the 2020 renewal rich in promise, Darren Norris picks six battles not to miss.

The brilliant Irish mares Honeysuckle and Benie Des Dieux are on course to clash at Cheltenham next week, after both were among confirmations for the Close Brothers Hurdle.

Mikhail Shishkin is a multi-award-winning contemporary Russian author, and this, his fourth novel, has already been hailed as a prodigious literary achievement.

Darren O’Dea was handed the task of keeping Russia’s dangermen at bay as the Republic of Ireland attempted to re-ignite their Euro 2012 campaign.

CELTIC manager Gordon Strachan hailed his side for the way they handled a heavily-watered artificial pitch to claim an impressive Champions League draw at Spartak Moscow.

About 200 valuable works of art hidden in a Brooklyn apartment have been returned to the Republic of Azerbaijan.