Here’s what Jane Mangan, a rising star of RTE’s racing coverage, said about Envoi Allen at a recent media gig. “He’s what it would be if I described my perfect horse to a sculptor or a dream maker.”

All that glitters is not gold, a talented writer called William Shakespeare (you may have heard of him) once wrote. He was right.

Willie Mullins described Un De Sceaux as a “once-in-a-lifetime horse” as he confirmed the multiple Grade One-winner’s retirement following injury.

Paul Nicholls is doubly represented intoday’s feature, the thetote.com Galway Plate, and the leading British trainer, who won this race in 2008 with the Ruby Walsh-ridden Oslot, can take the €177,000 winner’s prize with the JP McManus-owned Modus.

The whole of Ireland is basking in beautiful sunshine but I’m doing a rain dance. It’s getting warm and dry now, and Fairyhouse is drying up and Punchestown are pouring water on the course to beat the band. Let me be a spoilsport, I hope this weather breaks. I want it to rain.

We drew a blank yesterday but most of the horses ran very well, writes Ruby Walsh.

Was it a good day or a bad day at Cheltenham?

Oh, the up and downs, the highs and lows of national hunt racing. Yesterday had it all for me. It was amazing to win the first race on Klassical Dream and to watch Duc Des Genievres win the second – it was clear the horses were in great order.

With the rain that fell yesterday afternoon and all that is expected today, Sams Profile can reverse recent form over Battleoverdoyen when they renew rivalry in the Grade 1 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, the opening race on day two of the Cheltenham Festival.

Provided it gets the go-ahead, day two of Cheltenham will see two three-time heroes go in search of a fourth Festival success and it’ll rank as a massive surprise if Altior and Tiger Roll fail to oblige.

Tommy Lyons picks out three horses worth a punt at Cheltenham this week.

The country has almost ground to a halt, and so has racing, but being so close to the Cheltenham Festival it’s crucial that the horses continue to get their exercise.

Willie Mullins is responsible for three of the seven remaining entries in the Bar One Racing Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

I’m sure the majority of wallets were thin after Douvan’s collapse, writes Anthony Daly.

Yesterday was a day of near misses, but the horses ran well. I couldn’t have asked more of Melon, who just ran into a better one in the Supreme. 

Harry Fry is a trainer of immense talent and the confident expectation is Neon Wolf will give him cause for celebration after today’s opening race, the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle.

Robbie Power is confident the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup trip is within Sizing John’s compass.

Vics Canvas is set to carry on racing next season after defying his teenage years with an amazing effort in the Crabbie’s Grand National.

The Trainers’ Championship in Britain is going down the wire, but it would be some achievement from Willie Mullins were he to win it, considering he’s based in Ireland.

The Crabbie’s Grand National meeting could start with a bang as the imperious Douvan is among 18 entries in the Merseryrail Manifesto Novices’ Chase next Thursday.

All the talk of ‘Ricci Tuesday’ had been replaced by an intense focus on what was expected to be ‘JP Wednesday.’

Yorkhill has been rerouted to this longer test, having swerved the Supreme.

For Good Measure looks a live contender for a typically wide-open renewal of the Close Brothers Imperial Cup at Sandown tomorrow.

Annie Power may have been supplemented for the Stan James Champion Hurdle but Nicky Henderson still intends to run all five of his entrants in Tuesday’s feature race.

Michael Scudamore claims last year’s Johnny Henderson Grand Annual winner Next Sensation is “as well as he could be” after his weight was revealed ahead of a repeat bid.

Neil King has all but ruled Lil Rockerfeller out of appearing in the Coral Cup after stressing the weight he would have to carry would leave him with an almost impossible task.

Paul Nicholls has warned punters not to leave Saphir Du Rheu out of calculations for the Ryanair World Hurdle at Cheltenham next month.