RUBY WALSH walked away relatively unscathed from a bad fall at Naas yesterday.

THERE was no fairytale return for me at Newbury yesterday when Don’t Turn Bach finished well behind in a handicap hurdle.

Ruby Walsh will return to the saddle at Newbury on Friday.

TWENTY-FOUR horses, and all the big names, remain in the reckoning at the latest forfeit stage for next month’s totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Master Minded will face a maximum of 14 rivals when he attempts to land the sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase for a third time on March 16.

TONY McCOY admits he faces a difficult decision whether to stick with Don’t Push It as his ride in the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree in April.

Master Minded features among 10 declared runners in the Keith Prowse Hospitality Tingle Creek Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday.

SATURDAY’S reopened StanJames.com International Hurdle at Cheltenham has attracted the anticipated classy field with Menorah and Cue Card among the nine entries.

Paul Nicholls is concerned about the prospect of fast ground for Master Minded in the rearranged Keith Prowse Hospitality Tingle Creek Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Saturday’s big Tingle Creek meeting at Sandown is subject to an inspection at 3pm this afternoon.

NOEL Fehily should be fit to ride Kauto Star in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

NOEL FEHILY will get the leg-up on Kauto Star in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day.

SUITABLE ground could see Master Minded bid to rebuild his reputation in the Boylesports.com Champion Chase at the Punchestown Festival.

RUBY WALSH’S 2010 Cheltenham Festival may not have been quite all he had hoped for but the Irish Examiner columnist ended up the leading jockey at the meeting for the fifth time.

THOSE were the words of one of the countless members of the Goat Racing Syndicate milling around after the downfall of Master Minded in yesterday’s Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Big Zeb laid to rest his jumping demons with a flawless performance in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival – with Master Minded well beaten.

Master Minded returns to defend his Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase crown at Cheltenham tomorrow, with Paul Nicholls believing his two-mile specialist is back to his imperious best.

HARRY Findlay rates odds-on favourites Dunguib, Master Minded, Big Buck’s and Kauto Star as banker material at next week’s Cheltenham Festival.

FORPADYDEPLASTERER moved a step closer to lining up in the Queen Mother Champion Chase after coming through a workout on the Curragh yesterday with flying colours.

HORSE Racing Ireland have announced a replacement fixture for Thurles after yesterday’s fixture was cancelled following heavy overnight frost.

THE countdown to Cheltenham has really started now and it promises to be a revealing weekend, between Ascot and Haydock this afternoon and the two days at Leopardstown.

Connections of Master Minded anticipate the dual Champion Chase winner to make a full recovery from a stress fracture to a rib.

Well Chief received the universal backing of the bookmaking industry for the 2010 Queen Mother Champion Chase after slamming dual Cheltenham Festival winner Master Minded in the Connaught Chase.

Master Minded’s owner Clive Smith says the dual Queen Mother Champion Chase winner will be kept pretty busy this season.

I’M at Cheltenham today for four rides for Paul Nicholls, on what is probably best described as a low-profile meeting by the high standards of that great track.

Ruby Walsh stole the show at Sligo today with a 154.5-1 four-timer.

Master Minded will be the star of the opening day of the Punchestown Festival as jump racing’s outstanding two-miler faces just five rivals in the Kerrygold Champion Chase.

Paul Nicholls expects Denman to be “100% sound” in a week’s time following his fall at Aintree on Thursday.

Kauto Star has run his final race of the campaign after reclaiming his totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup crown, but trainer Paul Nicholls has raised the tantalising possibility of him tackling the blue riband for another three years.

FOUR more winners, including a three-timer for Ruby (which he predicted in his column in these pages yesterday) left the Irish at Prestbury Park in disbelief.

KASBAH BLISS is the nap choice to strike a blow for France in the Ladbrokes’ World Hurdle at Cheltenham this afternoon.

Master Minded successfully defended his Seasons Holidays Champion Chase crown at Cheltenham to become the first horse since Viking Flagship in 1995 to retain the two-mile championship.

Voy Por Ustedes could bypass the totepool Game Spirit Chase at Newbury on Saturday in favour of the Betfair Ascot Chase a week later.

Master Minded had no trouble in landing the cramped odds of 1-4 in the Grade One Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot.

A run in the John Smith’s Grand National seems unlikely for Denman unless something goes wrong in his pursuit of back-to-back Cheltenham Gold Cups.

YOU would like to think that those who tried to make Sam Thomas’ life a misery over the last couple of weeks were hanging their heads in shame after Noland had won the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown on Tuesday.

CLIVE Smith already has one eye on next year’s Queen Mother Champion Chase for Master Minded after he produced another stunning performance in the Seasons Holidays Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on Saturday.

Tony McCoy will be on board Champion Chase hero Master Minded when he lines-up in the Seasons Holidays Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on Saturday, according to the Daily Telegraph.

RUBY WALSH faces between three and four weeks on the sidelines, following a fall off Pride Of Dulcote over hurdles at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Master Minded produced a masterclass in jumping to win the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.