The Punchestown Festival kicks off with the Fr Sean Breen Memorial Chase and Wish Ye Didnt gets the nap to set punters off on the right foot.

I am happy to be riding Perfect Gentleman in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National on Monday. I think he has the right profile for the race and 10-10 is a lovely weight.

Vautour is one of five potential runners for Willie Mullins after a total of 18 horses stood their ground for the Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

Vautour restored his reputation with a performance in yesterday’s JLT Novices’ Chase which thrilled the 57,000-plus crowd present on day three of the Cheltenham Festival and even took away the breath of his connections.

Vautour bounced right back to his brilliant best to win the JLT Novices’ Chase by a wide margin at the Cheltenham Festival.

Owner Rich Ricci believes Vautour may have been underestimated ahead of today’s JLT Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.

Ruby Walsh reflects on Tuesday’s treble and Wednesday’s woes at Cheltenham.

Vautour can get punters off to a flying start by taking the opening JLT Novices’ Chase for the in-form team of Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh.

Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh have done us proud this week and it would be silly not to place our faith in them at Cheltenham today.

What a remarkable start to the meeting! Unbelievable. You know you’re not going to win them all, or at least you think something is going to go wrong — and it did when Annie Power fell.

Fortune has not always favoured Noel Meade at the Cheltenham Festival, but the seven-times champion Irish trainer is hoping Road To Riches can enjoy the rub of the green in this year’s Gold Cup.

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 Tullow Tank is set to be prepared for the Cheltenham Festival following a much improved effort at Leopardstown.

Very Wood booked his ticket for a return visit to Cheltenham when hitting form with victory in the Ten Up Novice Chase at Navan yesterday.

Paul Carberry (41 today) showed at Leopardstown yesterday that he is as good as ever when taking the Grade 1 Flogas Novice Chase on Apache Stronghold.

Hurricane Fly and Jezki are again on a collision course for the BHP Insurances Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Edward O’Grady’s Kitten Rock can beat Willie Mullins’ Glens Melody in the Grade 2 Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas this afternoon.

Hurricane Fly has frightened away most of the opposition as only eight horses have been entered for the BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on January 25.

Noel Meade is considering a tilt at the Irish Arkle with Apache Stronghold after he finished second at Grade One level for a third time in the Topaz Novice Chase at Leopardstown on Monday.

Willie Mullins was yesterday still on a high after Hurricane Fly’s latest spine-tingling triumph at Leopardstown.

The Bryan Cooper-Gigginstown House Stud combination struck again at Grade 1 level at Leopardstown yesterday when Don Poli, trained by Willie Mullins, landed a red-hot Topaz Novice Chase.

Hurricane Fly and Jezki face off for the sixth time at Leopardstown today in a fascinating clash for the Ryanair Hurdle.

I flew from Shannon to Heathtrow on Thursday night, after riding two winners at Thurles, and was looking forward to a couple of days at Newbury.

Bryan Cooper is expected to make a quick return to the saddle for the big weekend meeting at Fairyhouse despite suffering a fall at Thurles yesterday.

Ruby Walsh is more worried about Djakadam having had only three runs over fences rather than the fact that he is only a five-year-old going into Saturday’s Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury.

Noel Meade still hopes to get Monksland back on the track by Christmas at the latest after a near two-year lay-off.

Colin Bowe’s dreams of Cheltenham Festival glory moved into sharper focus as his prolific mare Little King Robin overcame her toughest test to date with a determined victory in the WKD Hurdle at Down Royal yesterday.

Annie Annie Power could tackle the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival – if she stays over hurdles this term.

Long odds-on favourite Briar Hill brushed aside the challenge of sole rival Azorian to land the Grade 1 Navan Novice Hurdle in Navan yesterday.

Cheltenham is a fair old way to travel for just one ride, but that’s the plan today.

Apache Stronghold clashes with Champion Bumper hero Briar Hill in what promises to be a hugely informative Navan Novice Hurdle tomorrow.

On a day when the John Berry-trained Cootamundra proved a shock winner of the Ladbrokes Troytown Handicap Chase, enthusiasts in Navan witnessed impressive victories by exciting novices and potential stars Apache Stronghold, Moyle Park and Ballycasey.

Noel Meade’s Apache Stronghold took apart a field of previous winners in the Grade Two “Monksfield” Novice Hurdle at Navan.

The John McConnell trained Orgilgo Bay made a highly encouraging debut over hurdles when turning over odds-on favourite Clarcam in the Go Racing In Kildare 3-Y-0 Maiden Hurdle when Punchestown began its winter season yesterday.