I THINK it’s fair to say I’m more hopeful than confident facing into the final day of Punchestown this afternoon.

Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Sizing Europe remains firmly on course for next month’s Punchestown Festival.

Paul Nicholls believes he has an excellent opportunity to claim an elusive success in the Grade One Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham today.

Voy Por Ustedes is a fascinating supplementary entry for the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham on Thursday.

BIG BUCK’S and Grands Crus remain on course for a mouthwatering clash in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle after their names appeared among 34 remaining entries following the latest forfeit stage.

TWENTY-FOUR horses, and all the big names, remain in the reckoning at the latest forfeit stage for next month’s totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Master Minded will face a maximum of 14 rivals when he attempts to land the sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase for a third time on March 16.

J’Y VOLE has plenty going for her in the Grade 2 Matty Ryan Memorial Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles this afternoon and gets the nap.

NOEL MEADE’S Pandorama will be hoping for a change of fortune in today’s Lexus Chase at Leopardstown.

THERE has been no racing in Ireland for 10 days, not since Navan on December 18, so the whole industry will be praying that both Leopardstown and Limerick today get the green light, following 7.30am inspections.

Cooldine has been installed as favourite for tomorrow’s Lexus Chase at Leopardstown – if the meeting beats the weather.

SOLWHIT is the nap choice to land the Bar One Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, on a terrific programme at Fairyhouse this afternoon.

EOIN Griffin has offered his gratitude to Fairyhouse for the rescheduling of the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase – but warns his stable star Glencove Marina has not enjoyed an ideal preparation.

EDWARD O’Grady warned punters Osana has yet to reach his peak this season ahead of his tilt at the Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy at Cheltenham.

IT may be the height of folly to nap a horse who finished a remote seventh of seven finishers last time, but that’s precisely what we are going to do with J’y Vole in the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park this afternoon.

Four British raiders, including supplementary entry What A Friend’ are among 12 runners in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown tomorrow.

IN Compliance will return to Grade One company for the first time in almost two years in tomorrow’s John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase.

Tranquil Sea has been given top weight of 11st 12lb in the Boylesports.com Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday week.

FALTERING FULLBACK buckled down in fine style to land the McSweeney Arms’ Hotel Hurdle at Killarney last night.

NOTRE PERE jumped and galloped his rivals silly to take the Guinness Gold Cup by a whopping 13 lengths at Punchestown last night.

I went to Punchestown yesterday hoping to win three Grade 1’s, but had to settle for two.

RIGHT then, hands up anyone else who is seriously underwhelmed by the prospect of the forthcoming flat season.

IT has been a frustrating campaign for Drive On Regardles, but Willie Mullins' charge is fancied to finally deliver in the Great Oak Maiden Hurdle at Gowran Park this afternoon.

Willie Mullins’ smart mare J’y Vole makes her long-awaited return in the Shamrock Handicap Chase at Gowran Park tomorrow.

WILLIE Mullins’ Sicilian Secret came in for plenty of support following a stylish piece of work after racing at Leopardstown yesterday and is now 4-1 favourite with William Hill and Cashmans for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper.

Check out our tips from today’s horse races across Ireland and the UK.

A run in the John Smith’s Grand National seems unlikely for Denman unless something goes wrong in his pursuit of back-to-back Cheltenham Gold Cups.

Last year’s winner Our Vic is among a 48-strong entry for the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham on March 12.

WISHWILLOW Lord, with two solid efforts of late under his belt, is napped to win the Go Racing In Kildare Chase at Punchestown this evening.

THE teak-tough Blazing Bailey dug deep to win the ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle at Punchestown yesterday giving trainer, Alan King, his first ever winner at the Festival.

COOLDINE steps into the big league in the ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle at Punchestown today and gets the nap to come through with flying colours.

COLM Murphy is readying Megans Joy and Big Zeb for appearances at the Punchestown Festival later in the month.

Colm Murphy is readying Megans Joy and Big Zeb for appearances at the Punchestown Festival later in the month.

Paul Carberry hauled Conna Castle home in the dying strides to deny even-money favourite Big Zeb an all-the-way victory in the Grade One Powers Gold Cup.

Santa’s Son is likely to sidestep Sunday’s Powers Gold Cup and wait for more suitable conditions at the Punchestown Festival.

Willie Mullins’ J’y Vole had her winning run brought to an abrupt end in the Woodlands Park 100 Nas Na Riogh Chase at Naas as Liam Burke’s Thyne Again ran out an emphatic winner.

Maralan has got his colourful trainer Oliver Brady dreaming of the Cheltenham Festival after a second success inside seven days at Naas.

BEAU MICHAEL can complete the hat-trick in the Grade 2 Winning Fair Juvenile Hurdle at Fairyhouse this afternoon.

Charlie Mann believes Air Force One has “every chance” in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

THE mildly progressive Got Attitude looks well capable of squeezing through the opening Urlingford Maiden Hurdle at Thurles today.

TOM COOPER, who won the Cheltenham Bumper with Total Enjoyment four years ago, is on the Festival trail again.

THERE’S little doubt tomorrow’s Grade 1 Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown lacks quality, with the likes of Kauto Star, Denman, Exotic Dancer and Kicking King absent.

A high-class field of seven take their chance in the Dr PJ Moriarty Novice Chase at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Sizing Europe soared to the head of the betting for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle as he left dual winner of the blue riband Hardy Eustace trailing in his wake at Leopardstown.

LIAM BURKE, one of the gentlemen of Irish racing, enjoyed his first ever Grade 1 success when Thyne Again landed the Baileys’ Arkle Cup at Leopardstown yesterday, writes Pat Keane.

Liam Burke sent out his first Grade One winner as Thyne Again proved a cut above his five rivals in the Baileys Arkle Perpetual Challenge Cup Novice Chase at Leopardstown.

HARDY EUSTACE, the highest rated and oldest horse in the contest, is the hopeful choice to land the Grade 1 AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown tomorrow.

Kicking King has breathed new life into the Cheltenham Gold Cup market with his sparkling return to action at Gowran Park following a 759-day layoff.