A new and unwelcome breed of racegoer — well-suited young men, travelling in packs, drinking unwisely and chanting menacingly — has become an uncomfortably prominent threat to the wellbeing of British horse racing

Latest: "I wish to apologise to connections and to punters."

It wasn’t the GAA that coined the phrase ‘Super 8’ — they have the Club Players Association (CPA) to thank for that one. And it wasn’t the GAA that labelled April as club month. But if they aren’t going to fill vacuums others are going to do it for them.

Connections of Footpad feel it will take a good horse to lower his colours in today’s Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase.

Irish jockey Ger Fox has revealed what is the toughest aspect of his six-month ban for testing positive for cocaine.

Colm Greaves peers into his crystal ball in search of tips and talking points for the year ahead

Demand for the services of one of the most-prized stallions in Irish horse breeding history was the main driver of a 56% increase in profits at the Irish National Stud in 2016.

IT can’t be pleasant, reading your own obituary, but jockey Declan Murphy’s injuries were so severe after falling at Haydock Park in 1994 that the Racing Post subsequently led with the headline ‘Declan Murphy Dies After Horror Fall’.

Twenty-three years ago, Limerick jockey Declan Murphy’s skull was so badly fractured in a fall at Haydock Park that his death was confirmed by the Racing Post. Prematurely as it happened, writes Colm Greaves.

Riddle me this, how is Willie Mullins’ Melon still favourite for Cheltenham’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle?

That was a rather interesting little spat between trainer, Richard Hannon, and Horse Racing Ireland chief Executive, Brian Kavanagh, regarding the recent Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh.

When it comes to racing, stewards are a much-maligned species, frequently damned if they do and damned if they don’t.

When Willie McCreery saddled a double at the Curragh last Saturday it was further evidence that here is a trainer who is rapidly going places.

The founder of O’Leary Insurance Group, owner of formidable racehorse Florida Pearl, and former Ireland rugby international Archie O’Leary has passed away.

The extravaganza that is the English Greyhound Derby gets underway with 13 heats this evening at Wimbledon.

Paul Nicholls extended his lead over Willie Mullins in a pulsating duel for the British trainers’ championship when enjoying a 54th birthday 20-1 four-timer at Wincanton yesterday.

The Racing Post produced a fascinating front page story on Tuesday relating to Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation attempting to take on Ballydoyle-Coolmore in a far more meaningful manner.

A couple of weeks ago the new Red Mills Unraced Stake at Curraheen Park was unveiled. This is a great addition to the calendar at this track as it has long lacked a similar stake, the type which goes particularly well at other venues.

Dual Irish champion Flat jockey Joseph O’Brien has decided not to ride at all this year and to concentrate on his new role as a trainer.

Darren Norris and Tommy Lyons argue their cases...

Douvan made a near-perfect start to his career over fences with an impressive display in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Beginners Chase at Navan.

Un De Sceaux could make his seasonal return in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown two weeks today.

Recently, in the Racing Post, Tom Segal described Aidan O’Brien as "the best flat trainer in my lifetime.’’

The 2015 Irish Greyhound Derby was launched this week, with the confirmation Boylesports will continue its sponsorship of the country’s premier classic, which is in the second year of a three-year deal.

Getting up early and heading to a newsagent’s in Cheltenham for a Racing Post bang smack in the middle of the Festival can be hard work, but you are usually rewarded with a surreal sight or two.

It is little wonder the innovation has been described as a “no brainer” by one prominent racing journalist and yet until last summer, there was no independent horse racing radio station bringing live commentary from every race in Ireland and the UK, as well as interviews and analysis.

Well, at least reading the front-page story of the Racing Post on Tuesday, it seems that off-course bookmakers are literally trembling in their boots.

It really is silly season in Britain, with all sorts of people calling for horses to be disqualified should the winning jockey transgress the whip rules.

I have been asked several times of late, by a number of punters, as to why there is such a lack of racing for much of December, on the lead-in to Christmas.

Last Monday the Racing Post produced a pullout detailing the ammunition currently residing at Willie Mullins’ Co Carlow base.

Smuggler’s Cove was an impressive winner of the listed Star Appeal 2-Y-0 Stakes in Dundalk last night, giving Aidan O’Brien his third successive win in the race.