MONACO -- As Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel struggles to get into gear, Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardos is gliding through the curves. Bobby Evans Jersey . Ricciardo is in fifth place overall, six points behind fourth-place Vettel, and secured his first career podium two weeks ago when he finished third at the Spanish Grand Prix. The Australian driver has beaten Vettel in qualifying in three of the five races, and has twice featured on the front row -- qualifying second in Australia and in China. Vettel was so dominant last year, winning the last nine races and 13 overall, that it seemed highly improbable Ricciardo would challenge him in his first season since moving from Toro Rosso. "Some people didnt expect this from me, but I knew deep down that I could do well," Ricciardo said at the Monaco GP on Friday. "If I am able to push a four-time world champion then I know that I am doing something right." Rule changes to engine size and lowered fuel loads have blighted Red Bull, which is unable to generate the same speed, and is lagging way behind Mercedes, as Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg run away with the championship. "Seb had a car at the end of last year he was very comfortable with, so it might have taken him a little by surprise to have a more complex car this year," Ricciardo said. "Maybe I have adapted to the new conditions a bit quicker." Vettel had a frosty relationship with former teammate Mark Webber, who retired after last years championship. Although there are no signs of tension between him and Ricciardo, it appears Vettels team role has somewhat lessened this season. "Particularly in preseason, Seb was doing a lot of the talking within the team and a lot of the feedback, because he knew everyone and they trusted him," Ricciardo said. "But now that I have some results and Ive got to know the team a lot better, they are now leaning on both of us for feedback." Ricciardo would be ahead of Vettel had he not been disqualified in front of his home fans at the season-opening Australian GP, where he was stripped of his second-place finish, and the 18 points that go with it, for breaching F1s new rules on fuel usage. "It did so much for my confidence seeing all those people cheering and shouting my name," Ricciardo said. "It actually made me even hungrier with how it went because it got taken away from me." Jack Youngblood Jersey . -- Creighton apparently has Villanovas number. Deacon Jones Jersey . LOUIS -- David Ross never expected to be on a World Series podium. http://www.laramsfootballshops.com/tyler-higbee-jersey/ . According to MMAFighting.com, MacDonald needs an x-ray on his right ankle and doctors clearance to fight or he will be subject to a mandatory medical suspension that will end on August 22, 2014.What a week. A sensational Cheltenham Festival, followed by derby day on Super Sunday and rounded off by the Royal Television Society Awards where Monday Night Football won Sports Programme Of The Year. A proud moment for the MNF team. Part of the evening was spent commiserating with Ant and Dec as after Super Sunday the two North-East clubs still face the prospect of being relegated in the same season for the first time in Football League history, while Manchester United blew the race for the top four wide open. City remain the favourites to secure a Champions League berth at 8/13 with Sky Bet but theyre looking vulnerable and their neighbours are down to 7/4, while West Ham are also just a point behind could be over-priced at 6/1.At the end of the show it was interesting to hear Graeme Souness and Niall Quinn both say its not just a two-horse race for the Premier League title. On Monday Night Football Ronald Koeman told us it was now a shoot out between Leicester and Tottenham. Sky Bet now go 8/15 Leicester, 11/4 Tottenham, 6/1 Arsenal and 80/1 bar. After Easter and the International break theres guaranteed to be plenty more twists to come. The Cheltenham Festival was magnificent from start to finish. Standing in the paddock with Richard Flint, Dale Tempest and the sponsors before the Sky Bet Supreme Novices Hurdle is always a surreal experience and what followed over the next four days threw up champagne moments and brilliant stories galore.Best horseI was fully expecting it to be Douvan. He only won the Arkle by seven lengths. It was efficient rather than spectacular. There werent quite the fireworks many were expecting but the fact that he makes it looks so easy shows just how good he is. In a stable full of phenomenal horses, Douvan looks like the cream of the crop. He is special. They could go down the Champion Chase, Ryanair or Gold Cup route next year and he could win any of them.However, the star of the show last week was Thistlecrack. That was an immense performance in the World Hurdle. Barracouda and Inglis Drever were brilliant winners but Thistlecrack looked even better. The World Hurdle crown looks at his mercy for the next few years but it will be fascinating to see if they go chasing. In a stable full of phenomenal horses, Douvan looks like the cream of the crop. He is special. They could go down the Champion Chase, Ryanair or Cheltenham Gold Cup route next year and he could win any of them. Best momentThey dont come back. Sprinter Sacre did. Ive been very lucky in my job presenting Super Sunday to be at some memorable sporting occasions. The Agueroooooo goal and Sir Alex Fergusons final game at Old Trafford always top the list but witnessing Sprinter Sacre reclaim his crown is right up there. I lost a fortune on the race but was part of the remarkable stampede to the paddock to welcome the great horse back.Cheltenham must be congratulated on creating the most brilliant sporting amphitheatre around the paddock which produced a cacophony of noise and is a spectacular sight. To be in the paddock as Sprinter Sacre returned was a proper I was there moment.Worst momentCue Cards fall three out in the Gold Cup. The sigh from the stands told the story. The head to head up the straight with Don Cossack could have been an epic. After the same thing happened in reverse in the King George we may never get the chance to see them clash at the peak of their powers to see whos best.Star for the futureYorkhill looked like an absolute monster in the Neptune. The vibes were so strong for him that morning and despite having a few mishaps in running he travelled so powerfully for Ruby Walsh and was still pulling when he hit the front. Cory Littleton Jersey. Yorkhill will be some chaser and on this seasons evidence hell probably trade at 2/5 most of the winter to win the Arkle yet go off at even money or hell be switched late on to the RSA.Man of the weekRuby Walsh is in a class of his own. He bought his A-game to Cheltenham on all four days last week. His riding of Yorkhill was a masterclass but he was brilliant on so many horses. He may not have won but he was at his very best on Min. The horse was keen and jumped moderately yet Walsh still managed to have him in exactly the right place.Walsh is a joy to watch around Cheltenham and will be talked about for decades to come. Minella Rocco looks like a tank and is a horse to follow next season. AP McCoy absolutely loves him and to me the four miler looked every bit as good as the RSA this year. Minella Rocco will win the Hennessy, while Noble Endeavor will bolt up in the 2017 Kim Muir! Eye-catcherThere were many and Buveur dAir is certainly one horse I will be following over cliffs next season. Im probably speaking through my pocket but Noble Endeavor was running a mighty race in the National Hunt chase and making up a prodigious amount of ground - a la Cause Of Causes - before departing two out.It looked as good a renewal of the four miler as I have seen. Noble Endeavor may not have won but it was a great effort and you can guarantee his handler will now have a plan.The trainer is a genius. Willie Mullins may get more headlines but Gordon Elliott is a master of his trade. He can train a Gold Cup winner and knows how to target one. His handling of Diamond King and Cause Of Causes has been top class and he hit the bar with a few as well, notably Campeador in the Fred Winter. It was notable how outstanding his horses always looked in the paddock. If Gigginstown and others put their full weight behind him then Mullins v Elliott will develop as quite a contest in years to come.Power of the amateurI wrote before the meeting about the dominance of Jamie Codd, Derek OConnor and Nina Carberry. They are different class to the other amateurs. Codds daring ride on Cause Of Causes was one of my favourite moments of the week, brilliantly captured by the excellent Richard Hoiles as he exclaimed that jumping two out it was like Cause Of Causes had just joined in. Racecourse commentators remain such a big part of the Cheltenham experience.Nina Carberry was her usual brilliant self on On The Fringe, while OConnor had his hands full with the brute that is Minella Rocco and handled him brilliantly. Minella Rocco looks like a tank and is a horse to follow next season. AP McCoy absolutely loves him and to me the four miler looked every bit as good as the RSA this year. Minella Rocco will win the Hennessy, while Noble Endeavor will bolt up in the 2017 Kim Muir!Biggest surpriseIt was a week where the racing aficionados and form book judges had a tough week, while the once a year punters had a field day with doubles and trebles on the short price good things that went off at ridiculously generous SPs.For example, in my days as a trader we would have sent down fortunes to shorten up Limini on Thursday due to all the money running on from Vautour and Thistlecrack. When she opened up at 4/7 I told all and sundry she would be smashed off the boards and go off 2/7. How Limini drifted to 8/11 is totally beyond me. It was all part of a mad and brilliant week.Punters and Cheltenham Festival fans have never had it so good. Also See: Live results service Full racecards ￡10 free bet Get Sky Sports ' ' '