THERE are three meetings in Ireland this weekend, which are all about quantity and with no pretensions whatsoever to quality.

PAUL CARBERRY delighted punters in Ballinrobe last night when completing an early double on Sublime Talent and Jim Will Fix It.

JESSICA HARRINGTON’S Alpine Eagle and Prince Of Fire from Charlie Swan’s stable will carry Irish hopes in the Paddy Power Imperial Cup at Sandown tomorrow.

The Cheltenham nerves are kicking in now and we’re really just putting the finishing touches to our team for the festival. We haven’t fully decided on the full make-up of that team but Oscars Well and Bostons Angel will definitely be going and I’m happy to report that they are well.

We’re coming off a great week’s work at last and it’s brilliant to be able to say that after the period we’ve had with the weather.

ODDS-ON Alpine Eagle proved a costly failure in the Kerrymaid Hurdle at the first stage of the Listowel Festival yesterday, trailing in a well beaten third behind Red Key.

THE familiar colours of champion owner J P McManus dominated last night’s action in Sligo as Carrigmartin, Alpine Eagle and Ross Bay, all favourites, obliged for him.

PROFOUND BEAUTY is impossible to oppose in the Group 3 ITM/Springpaarden Fonds Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown tonight.

I was absolutely thrilled with No One Tells Me’s run in the Galway Hurdle on Thursday. She really ran an absolute cracker to be fifth in what I think was a great race.

I have said it more than once here that you just have to take what racing throws at you. It’s a great leveller and some days you get a kick in the teeth but on others things work out well.

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.

RITE Of Passage hardened as favourite for the Neptune Investments Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham after recording what his trainer Dermot Weld described as a “satisfactory” win in the Book Your Festival Tickets Hurdle at Punchestown yesterday.

SIZING EUROPE can land the nap in the Pyramid Bookmakers’ Novice Chase at Roscommon this evening.

WILLIE MULLINS, fresh from another excellent afternoon at Downpatrick yesterday, can keep the momentum going with Quiscover Fontaine in the featured Grade 2 Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle at Thurles today.

LEADING Flat jockey Seamie Heffernan is looking forward to teaming up with Fen Game for Edward O’Grady in the Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.

YOU would have to wonder when Pat Smullen might make the breakthrough on the international stage?