Briar Hill, winner of the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival in March, made a successful start over hurdles when justifying 1/9 favouritism in the opening Supporters Club AGM & Table Quiz Maiden Hurdle in Wexford yesterday, continuing the superb form of champion trainer Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh.

Don Cossack staked an early claim for the RSA Chase at Cheltenham by making a pleasing start to his career over fences at Galway yesterday.

Lisburn’s Wesley Patterson and his Cork co-driver, Alan Whyte took their Ford Escort RS1800 to a fine victory in the Gleneagle Hotel Killarney Historic Rally.

IRELAND’S Dermott Lennon scored his first success at the Olympia International Showjumping Championships yesterday, taking the Christmas Cake Accumulator.