Clare saved their most disappointing performance of this year’s Division Two campaign as they hardly raised a gallop on their visit to a wet and windy Dr. Hyde Park.

When I was in Ascot on Saturday watching the rugby and how disappointing it was after all the hype which surrounded it and the team, it got me thinking and comparing it with our own sport.

The conversation takes place prior to the dreadful news his friend and long-time weigh-room colleague Pat Smullen would need to undergo a further course of chemotherapy following a setback in his recovery from pancreatic cancer.

A health setback means Pat Smullen will be unable to ride in his Champions Race for Cancer Trials Ireland on day two of Longines Irish Champions Weekend.

Irish riders netted three-star Grand Prix victories on both sides of the Atlantic at the weekend, with Paul O’Shea scoring in Tryon, North Carolina, and Darragh Kenny coming out on top at Montpellier in France.

Irish raider Mr Boss Man was one of six winning favourites at Wolverhampton in the 32RedSport.com Handicap as one punter picked up over £245,000 (€332,400) for a total outlay of just £30 (€41).

When Gleneagles was declared a non-runner Golden Horn was supposed to face a fairly straightforward task in the Juddmonte International at York – but no one banked on Arabian Queen causing a 50-1 upset.

Connections of Diamondsandrubies are expecting a stern examination of their filly as she lines up in the Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood today.

It’s always been a question of timing with Richard Hughes.

Big Orange teed himself up for a crack at the Melbourne Cup as he continued his improvement with a gutsy win in a three-way finish to a thrilling Qatar Goodwood Cup yesterday.

Richard Hughes might be retiring at the end of Glorious Goodwood but that thought could not be further away from Frankie Dettori’s mind as he racked up another Group-race success in the Qatar Vintage Stakes on Galileo Gold.

Gleneagles can get the Irish off to a flyer on the opening day of Royal Ascot. Aidan O’Brien’s dual classic winner is an odds-on favourite for the St James’s Palace Stakes.

Aidan O’Brien’s rank outsider Qualify caused a major upset in the Investec Oaks at Epsom.

Gleneagles overcame trouble in running to complete a Classic double in the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh.

Aidan O’Brien’s Newmarket hero Gleneagles heads a field of 11 declared for the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh tomorrow.

Pobalscoil chorca Dhuibhne  1-12 Roscommon CBS 2-5: Patience, then enterprise. One without the other and Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne’s stay at the summit of schools football was at an end.

Hogan Cup final Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne v Roscommon CBS, Croke Park (A Nolan, Wicklow), 3.15pm

Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne 1-12

Richard Hughes will retire from riding at the end of the Flat campaign before embarking upon a training career in 2016.

Richard Hughes will retire from riding at the end of the Flat campaign before embarking upon a training career in 2016.

Paul Hanagan steered Maftool to a narrow success for Godolphin in the UAE 2000 Guineas at Meydan yesterday.

Irish stars Gordon Lord Byron and Sole Power were out of luck in the Longines Hong Kong Sprint, which was won by Aerovelocity at Sha Tin yesterday.

Champion jockey Pat Smullen carries Irish hopes in the 17th Longines International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley, Hong Kong today.

Richard Hughes has spoken of his delight at effectively being crowned British champion jockey for a third successive season.

Tony Martin is once again likely to be the toast of punters if Quick Jack (right) can deliver for favourite-backers in the Betfred Cesarewitch at Newmarket on Saturday.

Dermot Weld’s hugely exciting colt Free Eagle remains on target for the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot later this month.

Sole Power has been unbeatable in Britain this season and attempts to prove the point on the European stage when he lines up for the Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp tomorrow.

Three-time winner Frankie Dettori is increasingly likely to be teamed with Aidan O’Brien’s number-one hope Ruler Of The World as he bids to make his 26th ride in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe a winning one on Sunday.

Richard Hannon stressed the brilliant Tiggy Wiggy "is by no means certain" to run in the Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp next Sunday.

It is not by luck that Ryan Moore has become perhaps the world’s most in-demand jockey as he offered the perfect example of his evident superiority aboard The Grey Gatsby in the Qipco Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday night.

Ryan Moore - perhaps the world’s most in-demand jockey - offered the perfect example of his talent aboard The Grey Gatsby in the Qipco Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown today.

Ryan Moore is set to be reunited with The Grey Gatsby in the Qipco Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.

The topsy turvy state of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe market was thrown into further chaos after Sea The Moon lost his unbeaten record to Ivanhowe in the Longines – Grosser Preis von Baden at Baden Baden yesterday.

Owner Barry Hurley is dreaming of Group One glory in Dubai after Captain Cat strutted his stuff in the betfred.com Superior Mile at Haydock.

Richard Hughes was in sparkling form at Lingfield as he chalked up a 125-1 treble on Piping Dream, Majestic Manner and Whaleweigh Station to assume favouritism with some firms in the jockeys’ title race.

Sole Power confirmed his status as the undoubted king of the five-furlong division with a performance of stunning domination in the Coolmore Nunthorpe at York yesterday.

A reputation can be made easily, but real achievements have to be earned on the track.

Aidan O’Brien’s domination of the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes continued as Dick Whittington caused a minor upset in the Curragh feature.

Take Cover catapulted the largely unknown David Griffiths into the Glorious Goodwood spotlight yesterday by using his blistering speed in the Betfred King George Stakes.

Brown Panther looks good value to complete back-to-back victories in the Artemis Goodwood Cup.

John Gosden’s grip on the top level of British Flat racing tightened even further as Kingman again showed stunning acceleration to prise Goodwood’s Qipco Sussex Stakes away from Toronado yesterday.

Cotai Glory shone as brightly as the Glorious Goodwood sunshine yesterday as he offered Charlie Hills some respite with his first British Group winner of the season in the bet365 Molecomb Stakes.

There’s a low-key start to Goodwood’s Glorious meeting, with the Group 2 Lennox Stakes the feature on day one.

Royal Ascot heroine Integral clinched a first Group One victory with an impressive display in the Qipco Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket yesterday under Ryan Moore.

Sole Power appears increasingly likely to be allowed to join stable companion Slade Power in today’s Darley July Cup after trainer Eddie Lynam received an encouraging report on conditions from big-race jockey Richard Hughes on Friday.

John Gosden is under no illusions about the task facing The Fugue as she aims to follow up last month’s Royal Ascot triumph in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown today.

Investec Derby runner-up Kingston Hill has come in for support with the sponsors ahead of Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, with trainer Roger Varian stating he is "keen" to run his stable star.

James Doyle placed a finger to his lips in silencing any remaining doubters as the scales of what was hoped to be a long-lasting racing rivalry turned emphatically in favour of Kingman after the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot yesterday.