Sunderland boss Gus Poyet has pulled the plug on the players' plans to visit the Cheltenham Festival.

The Daily Mail says the Sunderland squad had already booked their helicopter flight to last year's Festival when then-manager Martin O'Neill barred his relegation-threatened side from going.

Poyet has done the same this year after Capital One Cup and FA Cup defeats, much to the chagrin of the players, with Lee Cattermole and John O'Shea being especially keen racing fans.