As so often in the past, the Weatherby’s Champion Bumper was kind to Willie Mullins, and this one was as welcome as any of the previous nine, writes Tommy Lyons

Yes, indeed, Footpad again buried punters — many of them — one more time when failing to deliver in a Grade 2 chase at Thurles last Sunday.

Driven clear on the run-in by Patrick Mullins, Sharjah completed back-to-back wins in the Grade 1 Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Christmas was different, very different. It only really dawned on me how different as I strolled through Dublin airport on St Stephen’s morning at 7.45 rather than 5.45.

Nine times victorious at the top level over the smaller obstacles, the 2015 Champion Hurdle hero showed he was still a formidable force – just days short of turning 12 years old – to lower the colours of another star name in Samcro.

I don’t understand the betting for today’s feature race, the Punchestown Gold Cup.

Not 26 years old yet and Joseph O’Brien already enjoys the ultimate badge of acceptance within the racing community. He is known simply as ‘Joseph.’ Of course, as the eldest son of Aidan and Anne-Marie O’Brien, he has had his advantages in the sport, certainly during his riding career, but as a trainer he is very much his own man.

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

For the third consecutive year, the fifth time in the last 10 runnings, and a record ninth time in total, the familiar green and gold colours of JP McManus were carried to victory in the Unibet Champion Hurdle.

Nicky Henderson believes the professionalism of Angels Breath can come to the fore and help him secure a fourth success in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival today.

To mark World Book Day, we asked Irish sports stars for their favourite reads.

It would be quite a stretch to suggest Buveur D’air’s eclipse in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton opened the door for would-be takers of his Champion Hurdle crown, but Samcro all but stepped out of the running for that distinction with another disappointing display, this time behind Sharjah in the Grade 1 Ryanair Hurdle on Saturday afternoon in Leopardstown.

At 28, Patrick Mullins has already overtaken the great Ted Walsh’s haul of winners as an amateur jockey.

Tuesday, the opening day of the Punchestown, was to be Willie Mullins’ day. Expectation was high that the stable could make the necessary start in its bid to reel in championship leader Gordon Elliott in the race for the trainers’ title. And so it did.

That result saw Mullins close the trainers' championship deficit to €226,714, having been over €521,000 behind Gordon Elliott at the start of the day.

Trainer Timmy Hyde completed a bumper double with Feelin’ Groovy and Kelp Forest on a memorable day for his family in Limerick yesterday.

Day Two. Hmm. This doesn’t look appetising. The heaven-hyped Samcro runs, yes, but he’s one for the big hitters only.

Connections of Footpad feel it will take a good horse to lower his colours in today’s Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase.

Douvan is “not far away” from returning to action after being entered in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park on Saturday.

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

Last year's ante-post favourite Ivan Grozny finally gets the chance for Betfred Ebor glory at York on Saturday.

There’s a top and a bottom in every sport, and to suggest the top is killing the bottom in jump racing is, in my opinion, off the mark, writes Ruby Walsh.

There was a huge crowd at Cork Racecourse for a bumper, eight-race programme on Easter Sunday, and the feature race, the Vincent O’Brien Centenary Chase, went, in great style, to Val De Ferbet.

Willie Mullins fires a four-pronged assault on tomorrow's Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Cheltenham this afternoon is an absolute minefield and punters would do well to proceed with extreme caution.

West Coast Time was given a 10-1 quote for the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham after winning on his debut at Cork.

Having looked likely to develop into a most frustrating sort, Swamp Fox is beginning to look like a professional winner, and the four-year-old produced another tremendous display to rout the opposition in the featured Liam Healy Memorial Lartigue Hurdle on day three of the Listowel Harvest Festival.

Jack Kennedy followed up Sunday’s double at Downpatrick by claiming another brace in Ballinrobe last night.

Bobarlee might make Ruby Walsh’s trip to Ballinrobe worthwhile by landing this evening’s opener at the County Mayo track, the Maloney & Matthews Mares Maiden Hurdle.

Patrick Mullins expects today’s Scottish Grand National meeting at Ayr to be “pivotal” as the race to be crowned British champion trainer enters its final throws.

Roger Loughran rode his first winner for Gordon Elliott when Buyer Beware, having his first run for the trainer and returning from a winter break, captured the opening Count Me In Maiden Hurdle in good style from Sold Heat at Downpatrick yesterday.

It’s rarely mentioned now, but Ruby Walsh’s first ride at the Cheltenham Festival wasn’t exactly smooth.

Sempre Medici justified short-priced favouritism to win the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park on Saturday.