Prior to Fairyhouse last Saturday, Willie Mullins had what could be best described as three good things lined up for the Cheltenham Festival, Faugheen, Douvan and Un De Sceaux.

Ger Lyons is looking to the future with Ainippe after she relished the step up to seven furlongs to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Brownstown Stakes at Fairyhouse yesterday.

 

Grand Jesture and Gallant Oscar, second and third respectively behind The Druids Nephew at Cheltenham last week, have been installed as 10-1 joint-favourites with the sponsors for the €275,000 BoyleSports Irish Grand National after the weights were announced for the Fairyhouse feature on April 6.

Trainer Eoin Griffin is keeping his fingers crossed Azorian has turned a corner after the highly-tried gelding gained an overdue success at Navan yesterday.

The season’s leading rider, Mark Walsh, started the New Year in great style when completing a fine treble on Missyspet, Noble Emperor and Sword Fish in Fairyhouse yesterday.

Colin Keane, who returned to action after a 14-day ban at Roscommon on Monday, starred in Fairyhouse yesterday, completing the first treble of his career, on Buenos Y Bobos, Chocolate Diamond and Azurite for his boss Ger Lyons, to bring his seasonal tally to 49.

Marsali, an American-bred daughter of More Than Ready, looked an exciting prospect when romping to an impressive win in the Irish Stallion Farms 2-Y-0 Fillies Maiden at Fairyhouse last night.

Michael Halford has made a slow enough start to the flat season, but it might pick up a little with Slipper Orchid in the Lyrath Estate And Spa Summer Ladies Day 13th July Race at Fairyhouse tonight.

The Charles O’Brien trained Stocktons Wing, who is absolutely thrown into the second division of the Bobbyjo Bistro Great Value Packages Handicap at Fairyhouse tonight, will not run.

Rebel Fitz, having a first outing for 160 days, produced a smashing display to land the www.racinghomeforeaster.com Hurdle at the students’ meeting at Cork yesterday.

Under a determined ride by Robbie Power, the Liam Burke-trained My Murphy defied joint top-weight in the €50,000 Irish Stallion Farms Novice Handicap Chase Final in Navan yesterday.

Owner Barry Connell has confirmed Mount Benbulben will be supplemented for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Gordon Elliott’s lightly-raced Noble Endeavor can land the INH Stallion Owners’ EBF Maiden Hurdle at Punchestown this afternoon.

The rather frustating Si C’etait Vrai is worth risking in the 5 Star Sunday-6th April Beginners Chase at Fairyhouse this afternoon.

Briar Hill appears likely to go up in trip when he returns to the Cheltenham Festival in March following his rather workmanlike victory in the Slaney Novice Hurdle at Naas yesterday.

A heady combination of mud and mascara, glamour, glitz, and grass filled the air at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival yesterday.

Ruby Walsh began his afternoon in style by guiding Colin McBratney’s Toye Native to victory in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares’ Maiden Hurdle at Limerick yesterday.

The highly-regarded Back In Focus takes to fences for the first time under Rules in the Kevin McManus Beginners Chase at Listowel on Thursday.

Earls Quarter and Patrick Mullins should prove tough to beat in the Owenavarragh (Amateur) Race at Wexford today.

Flemenstar romped to an impressive eleven lengths win in the Grade 1 Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse yesterday.

JP McManus has a strong hand in the Ladbrokes Irish Grand National with ante-post 8-1 favourite Groody Hill set to be joined by his Cheltenham Festival winner Alfie Sherrin and Pertemps Final runner-up Catch Me at Fairyhouse on April 9.

Niche Market, winner of the 2009 Irish Grand National, has been retired.

JACKSONSLADY, trained and partly-owned by Philip Dempsey, proved best in the listed Grabel Mares Hurdle on the opening day of Punchestown’s winter season.

KASTANIA can prove good enough to land the nap in the moderate Fairyhouse Venue Hire Maiden at the Co Meath track tonight.

Andrew Lynch is set for a spell on the sidelines after suffering a bad fall at Fairyhouse this evening.

Leopardstown will host the rearranged Future Champions INH Flat Race on December 29.

FAIRYHOUSE was yesterday passed fit for racing and is set to house a spectacular programme tomorrow.

Fairyhouse finally look like staging their much rearranged multi Grade One meeting on Wednesday after the course was passed fit following an inspection.

Wednesday’s meeting at Fairyhouse and Thursday’s fixture at Punchestown have been cancelled due to snow and rescheduled for later dates.

HORSE Racing Ireland yesterday issued the industry figures for the six months to June 30, 2010, which revealed positive signs in relation to racecourse attendances, but a continuing decline in the number of horses currently in training.

WILLIE MULLINS’ Kerb Appeal is the nap choice in the F.B.D Insurance Hurdle at Kilbeggan tonight.

WILLIE MULLINS’ Golden Silver, a proven mud-lark, showed he is just as effective on a sound surface when landing the Boylesports.com Champion Chase at Punchestown yesterday.

David Casey is “very confident” of riding in the John Smith’s Grand National - despite taking a bad fall at Fairyhouse on Monday.

Tony Martin will wait until later in the week before making a final decision on Saddlers Storm’s participation in the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National.

RUBY WALSH and Tony Martin joined forces to land a double with Psycho and Tijuana Dancer at Clonmel yesterday.

ON AN afternoon when you wouldn’t put the cat out, the Jimmy Mangan-trained Whinstone Boy landed a massive gamble in the Tendrleen Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park.

HOPES of an early resumption of racing in Ireland at Thurles on Thursday and Friday were dashed yesterday afternoon when both the hurdle and chase tracks were found to be unfit for racing.

ONE could only shake the old head in disbelief at the end of the Group 2 Futurity Stakes at Fairyhouse on Saturday. It had nothing to do with the fact hot-pot Cape Blanco obliged. That was as predictable as forecasting it will rain and rain throughout an Irish summer.

A shot at the Tattersalls Ireland Sale Stakes at Fairyhouse is on the priority list for easy Richmond Stakes winner Dick Turpin.

WILLIE Mullins is double-handed in the Land Rover Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown today with both Mikael D’Haguenet and Cousin Vinny representing the champion trainer.

BENEATH The Radar booked his ticket to next week’s Punchestown Festival when comfortably landing the odds in the McGrath Quarry Group Hurdle at Ballinrobe last night.