"I didn’t think we would have many winners this week, he was our banker", said Pat Flynn, after his Gusty Rock had landed the Family Fun Afternoon Maiden Hurdle at the final stage of the Tramore festival yesterday.

Rubi Ball, the winner of 16 races in his native France, made a less than auspicious start in this country when going under by a head to Foildubh in the Rock Of Cashel Hurdle at Thurles yesterday.

The starting of races in Ireland, which has long been a bone of contention, reached farcical proportions for the opening Maiden Hurdle at Tramore yesterday.

Bookmakers got a screamer of a result in the four-runner Easter Time Hurdle at Thurles last evening, with victory going to the 14-1 outsider, Dancing Tornado.

Willie Mullins’ French recruit, Pont Alexandere, who looked a bit special when scoring on his Irish debut at Navan, was even more impressive in the Grade 2 Synergy Security Solutions Novice Hurdle.

Galway Plate hero Bob Lingo took full advantage of a massively favourable mark over flights when taking the McSweeney Arms Hotel Handicap Hurdle at Killarney last night.

WILLIE MULLINS’ Glens Melody is the nap choice to keep her unbeaten record intact in the Bumper at Tipperary tonight.

Former champion Paul Carberry has started the new season in blistering form and brought his tally for the campaign to ten with a superb 129/1 treble on Court Lexi, Zaralabad and Victrix Gale in Limerick yesterday.

SAINT GERVAIS, a dual bumper winner who has proved a trifle disappointing since launched over flights, got his act together with a smooth victory in the two miles plus Maiden Hurdle at Clonmel yesterday.

DAVY RUSSELL can surely now be described as champion jockey-elect, following a splendid double at Thurles yesterday.

AS Willie Mullins makes his way to Thurles today it will surely cross his mind that he has real possibilities in six of the seven races, the exception being the Bumper.

FRANCIS McCurtain, who comes from Fermoy, rode his first winner aboard the John Joe Walsh-trained Page Turner in the INH Stallion Owners’ EBF Maiden Hurdle at Limerick yesterday.

PRIDE Ofthe Parish, a horse who has clearly had problems, is the nap choice in the INH Stallion Owners’ EBF Maiden Hurdle at Limerick this afternoon.

TRUCKERS Delight justified favouritism and provided trainer John ‘Shark’ Hanlon with a welcome change of luck when scoring in the Connacht Tribune Handicap Chase, feature of the final day of the Galway Festival.

LOCH LONG, who was a revelation when stepped up to two and a half miles at Ballinrobe last time, can take the T And V Novice Hurdle at Kilbeggan tonight.

BAHRAIN STORM, winner of the Galway Hurdle in 2009 and runner-up behind Overturn in the race a year ago, got off the mark over fences in the Glenview and Rathbarry Studs Beginners Chase at Tipperary last night.

OUT of action with a broken collar-bone since March 26, Paul Townend returned in style when registering a double on odds-on favourites Rattan and Killultagh Queen at Ballinrobe last night where trainer Willie Mullins went on to complete a treble with Bless N’ject in the bumper.

Paul Townend was coolness personified as he brought Golden Silver to deny the enterprisingly-ridden Rubi Light in the feature Tote Pick Six Normans Grove Chase at Fairyhouse.

THE combination of Gordon Elliott and Barry Geraghty, in double form at Ballinrobe on Tuesday, clicked again at Kilbeggan yesterday when Mayo Abbey turned over odds-on favourite Cloone Stream in the Mullingar Beginners Chase.

ADRIAN HESKIN added to his growing reputation when powering False Economy, backed from 7-1 to 5’s, to an easy victory in the opening maiden hurdle at Tipperary last night.

Matt O’Connor faces several weeks on the sidelines after fracturing his collarbone in a fall at Thurles yesterday.

SIZING Europe is reported to be in fine shape following an impressive introduction to fences at Punchestown on Tuesday.

SIZING EUROPE made a successful start to his chasing career when outclassing his 17 rivals in the Evening Meetings At Punchestown Beginners Chase.

Sizing Europe made the perfect start to life over fences with a smooth success in the Evening Meetings At Punchestown Beginners Chase.

CHARLIE SWAN, with 28 winners already this season, bettered only by Noel Meade’s 38, can add to his ever growing tally by saddling Boulavogue to land the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Beginners Chase at Thurles this afternoon.

WILLIE MULLINS’ Cooldine made a spectacular start over fences with a stunning 19 lengths success in the Beginners Chase at Thurles yesterday.

THE rather frustrating The Boxer Coffey can finally enjoy a turn in the Tom McCormack Memorial Maiden Hurdle at Kilbeggan tonight.

ALLEZ Les Bleu is the nap choice to land the Holy Cross Maiden Hurdle at Thurles this afternoon.

JESSICA HARRINGTON is within about €3,000 of hitting the million mark in prizemoney for the season, following the smooth success of Top Of The Rock in the Powerstown Maiden Hurdle at Clonmel yesterday.

KICKING KING, with positive noises emerging from Tom Taaffe regarding his well-being, has to get the nod to land the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park this afternoon.

THE improving Breaking Silence has real possibilities of completing a hat-trick in the James and Helen Hannon Memorial Handicap Chase at Naas this afternoon.

FORGET The Past, third behind War Of Attrition and Hedgehunter in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last year, squeezed home a head in front Of Light On The Broom in the Thurles Chase at the Tipperary track yesterday.

WASHINGTON POSTE has a leading chance of finally enjoying a turn in the Blue Thunder Fast Foods Maiden at Ballinrobe this evening.

SCHINDLERS HUNT looked a very smart novice chaser when he defeated what looked an above-average field in the Beginners Chase at Punchestown yesterday.

ROBBIE McNAMARA, who celebrated his 18th birthday last week, has made a tremendous impression since joining the Dermot Weld yard.

TOM HOGAN'S Kalderon has promised to deliver a decent pot for a while and he did it at the conclusion of the Tralee Festival yesterday when putting up a game display in the Listed Ruby Stakes.

TOM TAAFFE, who broke the news earlier in the day that Kicking King would miss the Cheltenham Gold Cup, had a modicum of compensation when In The High Grass won the Kanturk Maiden Hurdle at Cork yesterday.

CASHMANS introduced Alexandrova at 33-1 for next year’s Epsom Oaks following her demolition job on the opposition in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Fillies Maiden at Tralee yesterday.

Pat Keane

BEEF OR SALMON can take the first step towards possible Cheltenham Gold Cup glory by defying top weight in the Anglo Irish Bank Munster National at Limerick tomorrow.

PAUL CARBERRY rode his third winner since returning from injury when Always made every yard of the running to land the Kevin McManus Bookmaker Novice Chase at Cork yesterday.

FAVOURITE NATION can land the nap in a fascinating little four-runner Richmond Race at Leopardstown this evening.