Ryan Moore produced the Willie Mullins-trained Clondaw Warrior with a perfectly-timed challenge to land the Ascot Stakes.

I’ve been to the Melbourne Cup, Breeders’ Cup, Hong Kong International Races and Dubai Carnival — all fantastic festivals in their own right — but none of them top Royal Ascot.

AT JUST over 90 pages Jean-Patrick Manchette’s Fatale is a magnificent example of French noir stretched into the realms of art.

Georges Simenon (translated by David Coward)

Mathieu Amalric once spent time in Cork nursing a broken heart, but now the star is back on Leeside to present his new film writes Marjorie Brennan

Dermot Weld has been leading trainer at the Galway festival on 27 occasions.

Simenon recorded his first victory over timber since May 2012 with success in the Kevin McManus Bookmakers Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary on Saturday.

Globe-trotting stayer Simenon could make a surprise first appearance over hurdles for a year and a half at Tipperary on Saturday.

Four-year-old Indian Icon, winner of his maiden hurdle in Killarney last month, captured the featured Carmel Fay Memorial Handicap Hurdle in Kilbeggan last night under a well-judged ride by Mark Enright.

Royal Ascot hero Pique Sous is "very likely" to turn out quickly for the John Smith’s Northumberland Plate at Newcastle on Saturday.

Although the Aidan O’Brien stable is yet to get on the scoreboard at this week’s Royal Ascot meeting, Magician, Verrazano and Giovanni Boldini, amongst others, have provided enough evidence to suggest Ballydoyle’s raiding party is in pretty good shape.

Leading Light, winner of the Queen’s Vase 12 months ago, heads the ante-post market for next Thursday’s Ascot Gold Cup after the latest declaration stage yesterday.

Willie Mullins is keeping his fingers crossed Barry Geraghty strikes up a good relationship with Un De Sceaux as the free-going gelding puts his unbeaten record on the line at Auteuil this afternoon.

Last Tuesday night it was my pleasant duty to be part of a large Irish contingent who were invited to be guests of Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.

Rebel Fitz, having a first outing for 160 days, produced a smashing display to land the www.racinghomeforeaster.com Hurdle at the students’ meeting at Cork yesterday.

Willie Mullins admits Simenon faces a tough task from his wide draw in the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan on Saturday.

Willie Mullins filled the first three places in the Grade 2 Greenmount Park Novice Chase in Limerick yesterday as 2/5 favourite Felix Yonger was turned over by stable-companion The Paparrazi Kid, with Balnaslow in third place.

The Minister of State for Tourism and Sport confirmed €2 million of the monies cut from the sports budget earlier this year has been returned to the sector for use at grass roots and elite levels.

I think I can head to Naas today with a degree of optimism and it’ll be a surprise, at least to me, should I leave empty-handed.

Red Cadeaux was a heroic runner-up once again as British-trained horses filled two of the first three places in the Emirates Melbourne Cup, but best-laid plans to finally crack the great Flemington handicap must wait yet another year.

I have only two rides this afternoon and I start off on Alonso who will be the first Spanish-bred horse I've ever ridden. If I've ever ridden one before, I certainly don't recall it.

Camelot could use the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday week as a springboard towards the Breeders’ Cup meeting in November.

Connections of Simenon are “committed” in their pursuit of the Emirates Melbourne Cup – even though the talented stayer is not yet guaranteed a place in the final line-up.

Jwala caused a major upset in yesterday’s Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York.

It is rare enough for one to be overly impressed by a National Hunt horse in the summer, but Jessica Harrington’s Beachdale Lad was a rare exception at Kilbeggan last Monday night.

Estimate provided Queen Elizabeth with a famous triumph when she captured the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot yesterday.

The Queen’s filly Estimate, trained by Michael Stoute and ridden by Ryan Moore, won the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

Rite Of Passage will bid to regain his crown when he lines-up for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot on Thursday.

My nap of the weekend comes in the very first race at Cheltenham today — Far West in the juvenile hurdle — so we’ll all be out of our collective misery fairly early.

Mount Benbulben got his fencing career back on track with a smooth success in the Nicky Connors – Lifetime In Racing Beginners Chase at Fairyhouse.

I thought it was gas as bookmakers’ representatives, literally, fell over themselves attempting to better each other with reaction to Hurricane Fly’s success in last Sunday’s Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown.

A mistake at the final obstacle cost Mikael D’Haguenet a first victory over fences in the Punchestown Gift Vouchers Beginners Chase.

Fame And Glory will be aiming to give the Ballydoyle team a Classic double as he leads nine contenders for tomorrow’s Gain Horse Feeds Irish St Leger at the Curragh.

Connections of the ante-post favourite breathed a sigh of relief after Motivado just made the cut for the Betfred Ebor at York on Saturday.

John Oxx reports Saddler’s Rock to be primed for action in the Artemis Goodwood Cup on Thursday.

Beware of hype, especially when it’s coming from those whose only desire is the selling of newspapers.

Twenty-four hours after his Royal Ascot breakthrough with Simenon, Willie Mullins provided punters with plenty to celebrate when Primroseandblue, ridden by his son Patrick, justified even-money favouritism in the Wellingtonbridge Novice Hurdle in Wexford last night.

Simenon gave leading National Hunt trainer Willie Mullins his first taste of Royal Ascot success when careering away with the Ascot Stakes in the hands of Ryan Moore.

I WILL be at Royal Ascot today and can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to it.

Former champion Ruby Walsh kept punters happy at a sunny Cork last night when doubling-up on well-backed Roman Flight and odds-on favourite Simenon in the opening two races.

Simenon will be strongly fancied to graduate successfully from the novice ranks in the Friday Evening Racing Hurdle at Cork this evening.

My first day at Punchestown doesn’t promise a whole lot and things can only get better as the week progresses.

Supreme Novices’ Hurdle third Trifolium aims to secure a Grade One prize of his own in the Evening Herald Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown today.

I will arrive at Cheltenham today confident there’s a strong possibility of getting among the winners, especially with Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle and Quevega in the Mares’ Hurdle.