A week of Classic trials began at Longchamp yesterday with a first career defeat for Dabirsim, the outstanding French juvenile last season. Ridden for the first time by Christophe Soumillon, and also making his first start at a mile, the colt raced keenly in the early stages but took over smoothly in the straight with his rider apparently intent on coasting home.

Cruise ship passengers and crew have said prayers at the spot in the North Atlantic where the Titanic sank 100 years ago with the loss of more than 1,500 lives.

Your hunger and passion will only see you through the opening exchanges

It was Ginger McCain, the mastermind behind Red Rum's hat-trick of victories in the world's toughest steeplechase, who ventured only seven years ago that "horses do not win Grand Nationals ridden by women".

More so than Miranda Hart, Stephen Fry and David Mitchell, Alexander Armstrong seems to be the acceptable face of posh comedy. With his comically large ears (a gift from his father), crinkly smile, affable demeanour and (crucially, perhaps) lack of smarty pants, he's the cuddly side of the upper classes in an age when, rather oppressively, toffs seem to be taking over again. Even Armstrong's overgrown Hooray Henry, 'Harry', in those adverts for Pimm's – alcopops for the privileged – is cherishable. Not that he drinks the stuff in public, he says, for fear of wags shouting, "It's Pimm's o'clock" – one of the great advertising campaigns, by the way, that helps explain some of Armstrong's wider appeal. The more you parody the posh, as the creatives at the advertising agency Mother realised, the more accessible they become to other groups.

Graeme Morrison is confident Scotland can replicate their surprise victory on their most recent trip to Dublin in Saturday's RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland.

Captain Ross Ford believes a Scotland win in Saturday's RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland in Dublin is necessary for the squad to retain belief that they are moving in the right direction.

France half-backs Francois Trinh-Duc and Morgan Parra have been dropped for the RBS 6 Nations clash against England in Paris on Sunday.

Man-for-man marking from the Six Nations match at the Stade de France in Paris

France 17 Ireland 17

London Wasps 18 London Irish 13: Youngsters' efforts and boot of Robinson edge former champions further from the drop zone

Irish captain wary of his own team's errors but warns France he expects to triumph in Paris

An investigation in to handling of the Sophie Toscan Du Plantier murder case in Ireland has been launched by the Garda Ombudsman.

Ireland captain Paul O'Connell believes restricting the error count holds the key to dispatching France in Paris on Sunday.