Synchronised will miss Sunday’s Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown after failing to satisfy connections in the run-up to the Grade One.

WILLIE MULLINS’ Quel Esprit is the 5-2 favourite with Boylesports and Paddy Power for Sunday’s Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown

WE are just undergoing a little bit of a lull in the yard at the moment and didn’t have a great week, but there have only been seven runners between last Saturday and last night.

THE IRISH flat season doesn’t come to an end until tomorrow week but with Bostons Angel, Oscars Well and Saludos all making their seasonal reappearances at Down Royal, it’s probably best to look back at what has thankfully been another very successful campaign for me.

YOU know you’re back into the national hunt season when the weather makes a fool of you, the plans you’ve made have been ruined because you took the forecasters at their word and you have to make new plans very quickly.

YOU have good weeks in racing and in life but the last few days have been right up there, the undoubted highlight being meeting Queen Elizabeth at the Irish National Stud on Thursday.

PEOPLE might think that I should be used to the build-up for all these marquee races now but while some trainers can be very relaxed, I don’t think it’s something I could ever get used to.

The Gold Cup is the most coveted prize in national hunt racing and being at Cheltenham on Gold Cup day is an unforgettable experience.

Jessica Harrington’s Bostons Angel ground out victory in the RSA Chase under a jubilant Robbie Power.

SOON enough the time for talking will be over but that won’t stop me as I’ll be here all next week to keep you up to date with what is happening in Cheltenham with my own runners, while offering some news from the rest of the Irish and anything else I might pick up along the way, as well as my opinion on the big races.

Last Saturday was right up there with the best days I have had in racing. Winning a Grade 1 is fantastic. To win two in one day is phenomenal and for Saludos to follow up by coming back to his best to take a Grade 2 prize on Sunday was just the icing on the cake.

Kempes is the new name in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup picture after running out a decisive winner of the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

It’s funny how things have worked out with the delay of a week’s racing due to the heavy rain.

TORNEDO SHAY is the nap choice in the Listed EBF Irish Racing Writers’ Hurdle at Naas today.

LEOPARDSTOWN yesterday announced the entries for the 4 Grade 1 races on Sunday, February 6, the featured Hennessy Gold Cup, Dr PJ Moriarty Chase, Deloitte Novice Hurdle and the Spring Juvenile Hurdle.

We’ve had a bit of an up and down week — highlighted by the contrasting fortunes of Bostons Angel in the Grade 1 Fort Leney Novices’ Chase and Saludos in the Grade 1 Bord Na Mona With Nature Novice Chase at Leopardstown earlier in the week.

Bostons Angel sprang a minor surprise as he saw off his only two rivals to claim the McCarthy Insurance Group Hurdle at Cork.

WILLIE MULLINS’ Cadspeed can get off the mark at the third time of asking over flights in the Christmas Party Maiden Hurdle at Fairyhouse this afternoon.