Although plenty of punters who got their fingers burnt on Blazer in last weekend’s Betfair Hurdle, at Newbury, it is far too soon to write off the beaten favourite.

Willie Mullins has a strong-hand at the five-day stage of the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury with four of the top six in the weights from 31 to stand their ground.

Done and dusted with the Cheltenham Festival for another year but what a week it has been! Barring Annie Power tipping up at the last in the mares’ hurdle, it has been fantastic. 

Harry Whittington is hoping Arzal enjoys a change in fortune in Saturday’s William Hill Imperial Cup at Sandown, for which 50 entries were received.

A definitive decision on More Of That’s participation could be reached by the end of the week.

Following much soul-searching, I have gone with On His Own in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown tomorrow.

Connections of Open Eagle remain upbeat after the runaway November Handicap winner suffered an odds-on reverse on his hurdling debut at Punchestown on Sunday.

Enda Bolger believes Un De Sceaux would not be out of place in the Queen Mother Champion Chase after he slammed his star novice chaser Gilgamboa at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Warren Greatrex’s exciting novice Seedling is among 65 entries for the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury on February 7.

Crabbie’s Grand National entry Goonyella is to have his first start of the year in Thursday’s Surehaul Mercedes-Benz Novice Hurdle at Clonmel.

Conditions at Newbury by this Saturday could force Paul Nicholls into a reshuffle of troops for the Betfair Hurdle.

Dessie Hughes is confident Our Conor will head to the Cheltenham Festival with a “fighting chance” of claiming Champion Hurdle glory after making Hurricane Fly pull out all the stops at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Fingal Bay is set to make his long-awaited return from injury in the Betfred Mobile And Levy Board Heroes Handicap Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday.

Tony Martin will decide next week whether Quick Jack will take his chance in the Boylesports.com Hurdle at Leopardstown on January 25.

Big Buck’s is as short as 6-4 favourite to regain his Ladbrokes World Hurdle crown after the current champion Solwhit was ruled out of the race with injury.

Dan Skelton’s arrival to the training ranks has been little less than astonishing as Willow’s Saviour brought about his 15th and considerably most important winner in The Ladbroke at Ascot.

Paul Nicholls had started to doubt the desire of Zarkandar but the application of blinkers and a step up in trip showed the six-year-old in a vastly different light as he thwarted The New One in what looked a top-quality John Smith’s Aintree Hurdle.

Ante-post favourite My Tent Of Yours will face 11 rivals in the William Hill Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham today.

Ante-post favourite My Tent Of Yours will face 11 rivals in the William Hill Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham today.

Ante-post favourite My Tent Of Yours will face 11 rivals in the William Hill Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham tomorrow.

Rain-softened ground at Sandown has increased confidence behind Mr Mole’s bid for Paddy Power Imperial Cup glory today.

Solwhit is set to take his chance in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham on Thursday week after pleasing trainer Charles Byrnes in a gallop on Saturday.

Henry de Bromhead said it was “50-50” which race Sizing Europe will run in at Cheltenham after he was officially scratched from the Betfred Gold Cup.

Nicky Henderson has six chances of hitting the target in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury today, among them a former Champion Hurdle hero and a live candidate for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Trainer Denis Hogan is starting to tune up Inis Meain for his major assignment in the Boylesports.com Hurdle on Saturday.

Cause Of Causes, winner of the valuable Ladbroke in Ascot before Christmas, followed-up when getting the better of Midnight Games in a fascinating battle for the three-runner Follow Navan On Facebook Hurdle in Navan yesterday.

Nicky Henderson’s thought process over My Tent Or Yours was fairly transparent as he took the gelding to Huntingdon for the EBF Connolly’s Red Mills “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle.

Get Me Out Of Here finally landed the decent prize his consistent efforts have deserved when winning the Grade Two Keelings Irish Strawberry Hurdle at Fairyhouse this afternoon.

Bookmakers are likely to be running for cover if the mighty Hurricane Fly can strike a blow for punters and successfully defend his crown in the Stan James Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham today.

Willie Mullins is pleased to see the taps being turned on at Cheltenham ahead of Hurricane Fly’s defence of the Stan James Champion Hurdle.

Kauto Star continues to make strides in his race to be primed for the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday week.

Paul Nicholls says the coughing which affected around a dozen horses at his Somerset stables remains under control.

Raya Star will be given an entry in the Coral Cup as well as the Country Hurdle at Cheltenham after his fine run on Friday.

Long Run’s connections declared themselves thoroughly satisfied after the Cheltenham Gold Cup hero continued his Festival preparations with a workmanlike victory at Newbury yesterday.

Zarkandar further enhanced his Champion Hurdle prospects with an amazing victory in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury.

Zarkandar has managed more than his fair share of waiting and Paul Nicholls’ aspiring star has negotiated another week of delays before he finally gets his season underway in tomorrow’s Betfair Hurdle at Newbury.

This weekend’s ‘Super Saturday’ fixture had to be abandoned after an inspection yesterday morning due to snow on the track, but the British Horseracing Authority reached an agreement with Newbury, Betfair, the Levy Board and Channel 4 Racing to restage the superb card next Friday.

Synchronised will miss Sunday’s Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown after failing to satisfy connections in the run-up to the Grade One.

It was great to record a double at Leopardstown on Saturday, add another winner on Sunday and also have Oscars Well running such a brilliant race in the Irish Champion Hurdle, despite hating the ground.