The loss of yet another meeting to the weather this week - Limerick on Wednesday - highlighted one of the problems National Hunt racing has in this country.

Saturday round-up

John Gosden would love to see Investec Derby hero Golden Horn stay in training as a four-year-old.

French raider Epicuris has his sights set firmly on the Investec Derby as the field for the Epsom Classic began to take shape yesterday.

Peter Niven had many great times as a jockey but is just as excited for the biggest moment of his training career as he saddles the well-fancied Clever Cookie in today’s Betfred Ebor at York.

Cirrus Des Aigles has been confirmed an intended runner in the Investec Coronation Cup at Epsom on Saturday.

It was a slightly frustrating week after our recent run of winners, with three seconds and a couple that ran a bit below par out of six runners bit I think we have a couple of good chances over the weekend.

Hot favourite Animal Kingdom will face a maximum of 14 rivals in Tuesday’s Queen Anne Stakes, the opening event of Royal Ascot.

Jockey Joseph O’Brien is hoping his loyalty to Battle Of Marengo can yield an Investec Derby double at Epsom today.

Despite his apparent willingness to come out of international retirement, Shay Given is not in line to automatically resume the number one spot for his country.

Hi Emperor gave trainer Sean Hennessy his first training success when justifying 5/4 favouritism in the Follow Fairyhouse On Twitter Maiden at Fairyhouse last night.

THE best bet of the two meetings in Ireland this evening comes in the opening three-year-olds’ maiden hurdle at Tramore, where the Gordon Elliott-trained The Ice Factor should take the world of beating after a promising start to his jumps career at Roscommon.

DANDY Nicholls’ globe-trotting and appropriately named Inxile powered home to land the Listed Galteee Midsummer Sprint Stakes at Cork yesterday.

RYAN MOORE didn’t half toss the toys out of the pram in the wake of Carlton House only managing third in last Saturday’s Epsom Derby.

CURRAGH racecourse manager Paul Hensey admits he is “disappointed” the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby will clash with the Leinster football semi-final between Kildare and Dublin, but is confident that a combination of the racing, social pursuits and the chance of winning a 5-star holiday to Dubai will pack them in at Flat headquarters.

ANTE-POST favourite Carlton House came through his final serious piece of work ahead of the Investec Derby with flying colours.

HANDING Harry Redknapp’s mob the odd crumb of comfort in 17 years isn’t really grounds for the renting of Gooner clothes and the donning of sackcloth and ashes. Nevertheless there were enough angry fans calling for the baby to be thrown out with the bathwater, when the final whistle blew on Saturday’s fiasco.

EOIN Griffin is hoping The Last Derby can regain his sparkle in the paddypower.com Cork Grand National at the Mallow course on Sunday.

JOHNNY MURTAGH is expecting Makfi to prove a “tough nut to crack” in the Sony-sponsored Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot today.

Yesterday’s matinee meeting at Ballybrit was certainly well attended but one would wonder whether those present were in attendance to join the festivities and celebrate all that’s good about Irish racing or there out of a deep-rooted compulsion just to be there.

Alan Berry has his heart set on one more crack at the Nunthorpe Stakes at York with his admirable sprinter Look Busy.

INTERNET sensation Crystal Swing have turned down a tour with spiky-haired duo Jedward and have saddled up for Derby Day.

AIDAN O’BRIEN continued his extraordinary record in the Netjets Railway Stakes when Alfred Nobel gave him his 10th success in eleven runnings of the race, storming away with the Group 2 at the Curragh yesterday, writes Pat Keane.

Epsom brings out the best in River Captain, who got a wet and blustery Derby day off and running in the Investec Sir Clement Freud Memorial Stakes.

Following the success of Fame And Glory at Leopardstown on Sunday, Johnny Murtagh is keen to see how Black Bear Island gets on in his next race.

Holbeck Ghyll struck gold on Derby day at Epsom and further high-profile success awaits in the Cisco Hong Kong Sprint Stakes at Ascot.

ADRIAN NICHOLLS completed a memorable weekend when landing the Group 3 William Fry Sapphire Stakes on Tax Free at the Curragh yesterday.

Stuart Williams’ popular sprinter Hogmaneigh is on the easy list for a little while after his run at Epsom on Derby Day.

Royal Hunt Cup favourite Bankable was given a boost without even leaving his stable as Lady Gloria made all in the Group Three Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom.

Promising Lead looks set for a successful campaign in Pattern races after making an impressive reappearance in the totepoolscoop6 Special Middleton Stakes at York.

Brighton’s EBF Newhaven To Le Havre On Transmanche Ferries Maiden Stakes has been landed by some decent future performers in its various guises over the years and this year’s winner Smokey Storm will soon be stepped up in grade too.

For those more used to the muck, mud, rain and cold of deep winter that normally accompanies their favourite sport, it was positively balmy in Clonmel yesterday for the first day of the 83rd running of the annual National Coursing Meeting.

Connections of Purple Moon believe the Ebor winner is coming to his peak at just the right time ahead of the Emirates Melbourne Cup on Tuesday.

A crack at the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in November is among the options for Septimus after he conclusively proved he is a stayer of the highest order with an effortless success in the GNER Doncaster Cup.

IRISH JIG, who disappointed at Epsom on Derby day, came right back to his best with a gutsy display to win the Listed Kerry Spring Water Rochestown Stakes at Cork yesterday.

Niall McCullagh got a great tune out of Irish Jig (7-2) to collar May Meeting in the final half-furlong and land the Kerry Spring Water Rochestown Stakes at Cork.

Michael Bell has taken the same route with Regime as he did with his 2005 Vodafone Derby winner Motivator and given his runner an advance taste of Epsom.

Frankie Dettori expressed delight at being allowed to ride hot favourite Authorized in the Vodafone Derby.

John Hills will start Dark Islander off in the Vodafone Diomed Stakes on Derby day at Epsom.

Epsom swings back into action tomorrow, with the Weatherbys Blue Riband Trial Stakes the feature event on a competitive card.

Kieren Fallon voiced concerns as to whether the Emirates Melbourne Cup on November 7 will be run to suit Yeats.

Zeroberto is set to reappear later this week after forming the middle leg of a brilliant treble for trainer Dermot Weld on the opening day of the Galway Festival.