Hot favourite Leading Light narrowly denied the Queen’s defending champion Estimate in a pulsating climax to the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

Leading Light, winner of the Queen’s Vase 12 months ago, heads the ante-post market for next Thursday’s Ascot Gold Cup after the latest declaration stage yesterday.

Horse Racing Ireland has announced a number of changes to the Irish flat pattern programme for the coming season.

Dermot Weld’s described the result as “very appropriate” after Voleuse De Coeurs landed the listed Vintage Crop Stakes in convincing style in Navan yesterday.

John Oxx intends giving Saddler’s Rock one run on home soil ahead of the Ascot Gold Cup.

Steps To Freedom registered his first victory of the year with an impressive performance in the Boylesports.com Handicap at Dundalk.

The David Wachman-trained filly Jessie Jane should be worth waiting for in today’s finale in Dundalk, the www.marshesshopping.com Maiden.

Fame And Glory will face eight rivals when he defends his crown in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot tomorrow.

Jamie Spencer is looking forward to being reunited with Fame And Glory as they go for back-to-back victories in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot tomorrow week.

Dawn Approach will head to Royal Ascot in two weeks, for either the Coventry Stakes or Chesham Stakes, with an untarnished record, following his 4/9 success in the listed Alfred Nobel Rochestown Stakes at Naas yesterday.

Aidan O’Brien is responsible for seven of the 15 confirmations as he searches for an eighth victory in the Abu Dhabi Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday.

Fame And Glory proved himself on course for the defence of his Ascot Gold Cup crown when getting the better of gallant mare Unaccompanied in the listed Vintage Crop Stakes in Navan yesterday.

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

Akeed Mofeed will miss the Abu Dhabi Irish 2000 Guineas due to a minor setback.

FAME AND GLORY had to work a shade harder than might have been expected when emerging victorious in the Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan yesterday.

Fame And Glory had to work a shade harder than might have been expected when emerging victorious in the Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan.

Positive tactics gained handsome dividends for Chris Hayes when Lechevalier Choisi claimed the opener at Navan today.

JOHN OXX continued his excellent start to the new season when winning the listed Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan with Roses For The Lady and completing a double at Gowran Park yesterday.

Aidan O’Brien is hoping Yeats can leave his disappointing seasonal reappearance run at Navan well behind him as he bids for an unprecedented fourth Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

ALANDI should retain his unbeaten record by landing the Seamus/Rosemary McGrath Memorial Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown tonight.

AIDAN O’Brien admits a decision has yet to be made on whether Yeats will bid for a fourth Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

Triple Ascot Gold Cup winner Yeats is all set to make his seasonal reappearance in the Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan on Sunday.

RED MOLONEY is the class act in the Listed Martin Molony Stakes at Limerick this evening and Kevin Prenderast’s gelding gets the vote.

ALAN KING, who saddled a first Punchestown Festival winner with Blazing Bailey on Thursday, can double the tally courtesy of Franchoek in the Grade 1 Eventus Marquees Champion four-year-old Hurdle this afternoon.

Yeats is now an odds-on chance with a number of bookmakers to repeat last year's victory in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot on June 21.

Yeats justified 1-3 favouritism when making an exemplary return to action in the Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan.

CASEY JONES is a confident nap choice to land the Evening Racemeeting In May Novice Hurdle at Punchestown this afternoon.

FRAN BERRY moved to within one of pace-setting 13 times champion Michael Kinane in the Jockeys Championship table when sharing the riding honours with Niall McCullagh ay Navan yesterday, each rider completing a double.

BRIGHT GAS very much rates the nap selection in the Evening Racemeeting In May Novice Hurdle at Punchestown this afternoon.

RUBY WALSH and Willie Mullins, who have enjoyed a fine week, can team up to take the RFL Steel Hurdle at Punchestown this afternoon with Major Burns.

JOHN OXX’S Bowmore can provide the solution to the Listed Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan this afternoon.