Great and all as the Irish, Scottish and Welsh versions are, nothing quite compares with the Aintree Grand National.

The clash of Douvan, Altior, and Min in this afternoon’s Betway Champion Chase is even more than we could have hoped for as a feature on day two of the Cheltenham Festival.

Two very different but equally brilliant rides provided for a tremendous climax to the Boylesports Irish National yesterday afternoon Fairyhouse racecourse. And it was Ger Fox, renewing his association with the Mouse Morris-trained Rogue Angel, which he rode to win the Kerry National in September, who the photo showed to have prevailed by a short head from the Ruby Walsh-ridden Bless The Wings.

With the kids off school for the Easter break, we took the opportunity to take a few days away to unwind after Cheltenham. 

All the talk of ‘Ricci Tuesday’ had been replaced by an intense focus on what was expected to be ‘JP Wednesday.’

It’s five years since trainer Enda Bolger last saddled the winner of the La Touche Cup but Quantitativeeasing can right that particular wrong in this afternoon’s renewal at Punchestown.

Willie Mullins enjoyed a clean sweep of the Grade 1 events on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival, but some second-string representatives were called upon to help deliver the treble in front of a record opening-day crowd of 20,214.

Getting up early and heading to a newsagent’s in Cheltenham for a Racing Post bang smack in the middle of the Festival can be hard work, but you are usually rewarded with a surreal sight or two.

Ruby Walsh reflects on Tuesday’s treble and Wednesday’s woes at Cheltenham.

Neptune Investments Novices Hurdle: The strength of the Willie Mullins novice brigade is again in evidence and his Nichols Canyon pips stable companion Outlander for favouritism. Both have strong claims, but Tell Us More may be forgiven his defeat on his most recent outing, and is also a player.

Annie Power bids to follow in the hallowed hoofprints of record-breaking former stablemate Quevega when she makes a belated return to action in the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham today.

The ground is continuing to dry and I am delighted with that for both Jetson and Bostons Angel.

While racing wasn’t confirmed when I travelled over yesterday morning, we were fairly sure that it would go ahead.

Midnight Haze will take his chance in the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on April 14 rather than the Irish equivalent.

THE Irish Examiner’s top racing correspondent, Pat Keane, was the bane of the bookmakers once more as he advised four winners from seven selections on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.

Garde Champetre repeated his win of 2008 in the Glenfarclass P.P. Hogan Memorial Cross Country Chase at Punchestown this afternoon.

TOM COOPER is considering his options after Forpadydeplasterer finished second in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.

A New Story, the horse who broke the Enda Bolger stranglehold on the Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, will be aimed at the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

FOLLOW The Plan heads a likely Cheltenham Festival team of three from Oliver McKiernan’s County Dublin stable.

Irish-trained horses have been handed top weight in three of the handicaps at next months Cheltenham Festival and joint top weight in a fourth.

Michael Hourigan plans to keep A New Story as busy as possible with an outing in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Qualifier at Leopardstown this Sunday.

DAVY Russell’s cunning ground-saving manoeuvre aboard Dix Villez denied Enda Bolger a fifth consecutive success in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase on a theatrical first afternoon of Cheltenham’s Open meeting yesterday.

Francois Cottin brings a little international flavour to Friday’s BGC Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham as he saddles Dom Fontenail and Juful Tennis.

CROSS-COUNTRY specialist Spot Thedifference once again proved age is no barrier as the 13-year-old landed the Sporting Index Handicap Chase for the second time in three years at Cheltenham yesterday.