WICKLOW’S good run in this year’s championship and the confirmation that Mick O’Dwyer is remaining as manager have been identified as helped the Garden County GAA board to buck the national trend by attracting a new sponsor for the next three years.

PROPERTY companies were the standout donors to political parties ahead of their last election campaign, a probe of accounts can reveal.

FIANNA FÁIL has failed to disclose to the ethics watchdog tens of thousands of euro in corporate donations.

I have one worry about Fiveforthree in the Ladbrokes’ World Series Hurdle at Punchestown today and that’s his ability to truly stay three miles.

CHELTENHAM clerk of the course Simon Claisse has no further plans to water the track ahead of next week’s Festival.

Gauvain was given a 33-1 quote by Coral for the Arkle Trophy at next month’s Cheltenham Festival following his victory in the Grade Two Kilbrittain Castle Novices’ Chase at Sandown.

Ante-post favourite Tatenen remains in contention at the latest entry stage for the Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival.

Willie Mullins strengthened his hand in the novice hurdling department with the victory of Quiscover Fontaine at Limerick.

Den Of Iniquity put himself into the reckoning for a second trip to the Cheltenham Festival when making a winning start to his career over obstacles in the Ladbrokes Odds On Card – Loyalty Card Novices´ Hurdle at Folkestone.

OKAY, the dust has settled and all the Christmas racing and early New Year stuff is now firmly behind us - so what have we learned?

Hurricane Fly is just 7-2 with Cashmans for the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle next spring after registering another Grade One prize at Leopardstown.

Gary Moore has the Cheltenham Festival in mind for Love And Glory after he got off the mark over obstacles in the Grout Insurance Brokers Juvenile Novices' Hurdle at Plumpton.

THERE’S an old Chinese proverb about not breaking another man’s rice bowl. It should be applied in many cases to public demands for people to be removed from their jobs.

In a season dominated by new champions like Katchit, Master Minded and Denman, the final major race of the National Hunt campaign went the way of an old timer.

HARCHIBALD to come right back to his best form and land the nap is the prediction in this afternoon’s ACC Bank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.

Fiveforthree showed real determination to land the Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle for Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh.

Philip Fenton is hoping Woodbine Willie can book his ticket to the Cheltenham Festival with a big run at Naas on Sunday.

BOOKMAKERS offering 5-4 each of two, Kauto Star and Denman, for the Cheltenham Gold Cup earlier this week, some of them are still at it, must have felt they were in some sort of betting oasis.

Muirhead, ante-post favourite with a number of firms for the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, will arrive at Prestbury Park without the benefit of a prep run.

Punchestown racecourse is to stage the richest handicap hurdle ever run in Europe as part of this year's National Hunt Festival.

Johnny Farrelly savoured his finest hour in the plate when An Accordion showed the way home in the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster.

With tomorrow’s action from Warwick and Wetherby in doubt due to the threat of waterlogging, punters should at least have some jumps action to look forward to at Kempton.

THE Fitzwilton Group has taken direct ownership of urban realm design consultancy Wood & Wood Design.

Trafford Lad will be given the chance to enhance his growing reputation on the grandest stage of all as trainer Dusty Sheehy eyes a trip to Cheltenham in March.

Venalmar earned a 33-1 quote for the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham after a battling performance at Naas.

Venalmar earned a 33-1 quote for the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham after a battling performance at Naas.

Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh continued where they left off in December with a 137-1 treble at Sandown.

Souffleur followed in the illustrious hoofprints of Denman and Wichita Lineman as another wide-margin winner of the Ballymore Properties Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury.

RATHMORE Castle is having a well-deserved mid-season break until February following his hard-fought victory at Navan last month.

KAZAL should open his account over fences in the three-mile Stamullen Beginners Chase at Fairyhouse today.

TONY Martin is mulling over an intriguing selection of options for Leg Spinner as he bids to replicate his big-race Flat victories over hurdles.

Nakai can build on a promising reappearance with victory in a strong renewal of the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown.

"Denmania" swept Newbury on Saturday as last season’s top novice emerged as the leading threat to stablemate Kauto Star’s dominance of the staying division.

Noel Meade and Paul Carberry prolonged their run of red-hot form with a Grade One double at Fairyhouse.

FAIRYHOUSE tomorrow houses three cracking Grade 1’s, but we should approach with caution on the basis that they look fiercely competitive.

Sky's The Limit and Kazal are among nine runners bidding for Grade One glory in Sunday's Ballymore Properties Drinmore Novices Chase at Fairyhouse.

SWEET Kiln will bid to boost the Bowe family’s domination of the Ballymore Properties Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

Jonjo O’Neill, Tony McCoy and owner JP McManus captured Aintree’s Bonusprint.com Digital Photo Prints Liverpool Echo EBF “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle for a second consecutive year.

RICHARD JOHNSON remains mystified over Detroit City’s poor performance in the Champion Hurdle – but hopes to redress the balance at Aintree next month.

RICHARD JOHNSON remains mystified over Detroit City’s poor performance in the Champion Hurdle – but hopes to redress the balance at Aintree next month.

Paul Carberry is to miss all four days of the Cheltenham Festival after failing to recover from a foot injury he suffered last weekend.

CHAMPION trainer Paul Nicholls will call on the likes of Kauto Star and Denman at the Cheltenham Festival next month.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls will call on the likes of Kauto Star and Denman at the Cheltenham Festival next month but of his more low-profile contenders, he is particularly keen on the chance of Nycteos in the Racing Post Plate.

NOEL MEADE is “pretty certain” the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle will be Aran Concerto’s target at next month’s Cheltenham Festival.