Racing at home is in Fairyhouse, but I’m off to Cheltenham this afternoon to ride Djakadam in his final racecourse outing before returning to Cheltenham for the Gold Cup.

Irish challengers Don Cossack and Vautour are among the star names among the 10 horses left in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on Saturday.

Narrow winner of the race in Cork last year, the Willie Mullins-trained Felix Yonger gained his second Kerry Group Hilly Way Chase success when the rescheduled Grade 2 event proved the feature of yesterday’s eight-race card in Navan.

Deciding between riding at Tramore and Cheltenham this afternoon was pretty straight-forward.

Un De Sceaux could make his seasonal return in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown two weeks today.

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.

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The Boylesports.com Champion Chase at the Punchestown Festival is top of the agenda for Mallowney following a staggeringly easy win in the Underwriting Exchange Dan Moore Memorial Chase at Fairyhouse yesterday.

Rebel Fitz might not be seen in competitive action until the Punchestown Festival in the spring as he continues to recover from a recent setback.

Felix Yonger got up right on the line to deny Mallowney in the feature Kerry Group Hilly Way Chase as he headlined a treble for trainer Willie Mullins at Cork yesterday.

Last year’s winner Twinlight is joined by stable companion Felix Yonger as Willie Mullins aims to continue his stranglehold on the Kerry Group Hilly Way Chase at Cork tomorrow.

The Hilly Way Chase at Cork and the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase are under consideration for Mick Winters’ stable star Rebel Fitz.

Big Zeb could run at Cork next Sunday ahead of his bid to win the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown a fourth time.

PAUL CARBERRY celebrated the New Year in style when recording a fine double on Dont Back Down and Osirixamix at Fairyhouse yesterday.

WITH conditions in his favour, Joncol will be expected to become the first horse since Native Upmanship to win a second John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown tomorrow.

LAST year’s winner Tranquil Sea has been given the green light by Edward O’Grady to bid for a John Durkan Memorial Chase double at Punchestown on Sunday after his comeback win in the Clonmel Oil Chase.

ASCOT today was duly abandoned yesterday afternoon, so let’s start this week with a glance back at Fairyhouse on Wednesday.

JUST about everyone was shocked when the attendance figures for Fairyhouse on Wednesday were revealed.

Willie Mullins endured a day of mixed fortunes in the major events at Fairyhouse with two Grade One triumphs soured by the fall of great hope Mikael D'Haguenet today.

SOLWHIT is the nap choice to land the Bar One Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, on a terrific programme at Fairyhouse this afternoon.

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

Tom Taaffe is hoping to prepare both Treacle and Cane Brake for a crack at the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree next April.

RUBY WALSH made a spectacular return to race-riding in Ireland when powering Scotsirish to a clear-cut success in the featured Grade 2 O’Connell Logistics Hilly Way Chase at Cork yesterday.

Tom Taaffe has snapped up the services of champion jockey Tony McCoy to ride leading hope Finger Onthe Pulse in the Boylesports.com Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday.

OUR BEN, who once promised a lot more than he delivered, is now getting his act together and could hardly have been more impressive in the Grade 2 O’Connell Logistics Hilly Way Chase at Cork yesterday.

Foreman is set to make his debut for new trainer Charlie Swan in Sunday’s O’Connell Logistics Hilly Way Chase at Cork.

Tom Taaffe hopes Tumbling Dice can return to the form of his impressive Hilly Way Chase success when he returns to two miles for the Byrne Group Plc Tied Cottage Chase on Sunday.

TOM TAAFFE, who has his horses in terrific shape, landed another decent prize when Tumbling Dice ran away with the Grade 2 O'Connell Logistics Hilly Way Chase at Cork yesterday.

Tumbling Dice produced a power-packed display to run away with the O’Connell Logistics Hilly Way Chase at Cork.

RATHGAR BEAU is set to make an early start to next season after having the current campaign cut short by a tendon injury.

RATHGAR BEAU is set to make an early start to next season after having the current campaign cut short by a tendon injury.

MOSCOW FLYER heads a classy 11-strong entry for the Paddy Power Dial-a-Bet Chase at the Leopardstown festival on December 27.

RISING star War Of Attrition can advertise his Cheltenham Gold Cup credentials by landing the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown tomorrow.

RATHGAR BEAU’S trainer Eamonn Sheehy is hoping his stable star can bounce back quickly after he was forced out of the Saturday’s William Hill - Tingle Creek Trophy at Sandown by a dirty scope, and he has already pencilled in another race at Cork.

Mick Fitzgerald set himself up for Saturday’s William Hill – Tingle Creek Trophy at Sandown when partnering hot favourite Kauto Star at Paul Nicholls’ yard on Thursday morning.

RATHGAR BEAU remains a possible contender for the William Hill - Tingle Creek Trophy at Sandown on December 3 despite having the Hilly Way Chase at Cork eight days later as his main target.

WAR OF ATTRITION, even if his trainer Mouse Morris refuses to commit him to the race, remained firmly on the Gold Cup trail with a solid half a length defeat of Rathgar Beau in the Clonmel Oil Chase at Clonmel yesterday.

In Moscow Flyer's absence, Central House landed a pillar-to-post success in the Grade One Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown.

Paul Nicholls is keeping his options open for the skybet.com Castleford Chase, with four entries for the £50,000 (€72,000) contest at Wetherby on Monday.

Moscow Flyer appears to have scared off most of his rivals as he faces a maximum of five challengers in the Paddy Power Dial-a-Bet Chase at Leopardstown next Monday.

A DECISION on Beef Or Salmon’s participation in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown on Sunday is due to be made today.

BEEF OR SALMON looks set to clash with Best Mate in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas.