Tidal Bay confirmed he will be a major contender for top honours this season with a virtually faultless performance in the Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase at Carlisle today.

Kauto Star began his campaign in faultless fashion with an emphatic victory in the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal.

Jered stormed to the top of VC Bet’s ante-post Champion Hurdle list with a fluent triumph in the Anglo Irish Bank Hurdle at Down Royal.

Champion Hurdler Katchit had to settle for second behind Snap Tie on his return to action in the WBX.COM Hurdle at Kempton.

Zarkava wrote her name into the record books with a stunning victory in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp.

Michael Jarvis received a welcome tonic when Tiger Eye comfortably landed the inaugural running of the Tattersalls Timeform Fillies' 800 at Newmarket today.

ANOTHER fascinating ingredient was yesterday added to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe when Ralph Beckett’s Oaks winner Look Here emerged a surprise contender.

It was slightly harder work than perhaps expected, but Rainbow View still reinforced her position at the head of the market for the 1000 Guineas with a high-class performance in the Meon Valley Stud Fillies’ Mile.

Few will forget the epic battle between Seb Sanders and Jamie Spencer as the race for last season’s champion-jockey title went to the wire in the final race of the campaign.

Sea The Stars, a half-brother to 2001 Derby hero Galileo, staked an early claim for Epsom honours with victory in the Korean Racing Authority EBF (C&G) Maiden at Leopardstown.

Johnny Murtagh can do no wrong at present and fresh from picking up the top jockey award at Glorious Goodwood last week he was in treble form at Naas on Monday.

JOHNNY MURTAGH will partner Alessandro Volta in Sunday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh.

Conditions at the Curragh have eased to good after 13 millimetres of rain fell ahead of the three-day Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby meeting which starts on Friday.

Edge Closer ran out an impressive winner of Salisbury's Axminster Carpets Cathedral Stakes as Robin Bastiman's Borderlescott had to settle for second once more.

There was drama in the opener at Hamilton where Verinco ditched his rider Tom Eaves yards from the line when looking certain to win.

Aidan O’Brien captured his fifth Boylesports Irish 2000 Guineas as Henrythenavigator completed a Classic double under Johnny Murtagh at the Curragh.

Henrythenavigator confirmed Newmarket superiority over New Approach to claim a Classic double in the Boylesports Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh today.

The enigmatic Bulwark booked a possible ticket to Royal Ascot with a last-gasp 33-1 success in the totesport.com Chester Cup.

Aidan O’Brien’s Sail breezed through the Weatherbys Bank Cheshire Oaks field to stake her claim for a place in the Juddmonte Oaks at Epsom next month.

Supporters of leading stanjamesuk.com 1000 Guineas hope Spacious received a boost after her galloping companion Cesare recorded back-to-back wins in the Britain’s Got Talent Paradise Stakes at Ascot.

Fresh from finishing third in the National Hunt trainers’ championship, Alan King sent out his first Group winner on the level as Shipmaster landed the Woodcote Stud Sagaro Stakes at Ascot.

Neptune Collonges put up a tremendous performance to secure back-to-back successes in the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup at the Irish venue.

Zarkava, hailed by many as racing’s next superstar, further enhanced her reputation with a scintillating return to action at Longchamp.

Big Bucks stayed on strongly to deny the pacesetting Battlecry in the John Smith's Mildmay Novices' Chase at Aintree today.

Ashkazar will net a £75,000 bonus if following up at the Cheltenham Festival after plundering the Sunderlands Imperial Cup at Sandown.

The Pipe family continued their monopoly of the Sunderlands Imperial Cup at Sandown as Ashkazar made all the running under Timmy Murphy.

Aarchibald boosted his Champion Hurdle prospects no end with a sparkling performance to win on the all-weather surface at Dundalk last night.

Hibiki booked his ticket to the Cheltenham Festival as he just held off the late surge of 33-1 shot Prince Du Beury in the Alfa Aggregates Products Novices’ Hurdle at Ludlow.

KAUTO Star is once again an odds-on favourite to land back-to-back victories in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup following an upbeat bulletin from Paul Nicholls.

Tom Taaffe still hopes to run Kicking King in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup despite a disappointing performance at Gowran Park.

Kicking King was a disappointing third behind shock winner Ballistraw in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park.

Michael Bowe believes the David Nicholson Mares’ Only Hurdle is a “long overdue” addition to the Cheltenham Festival programme.

VC Bet promoted Cloudy Lane to joint-favouritism for the John Smith’s Grand National after a smooth success at Ayr.

Chelsea Harbour (10-1) was a brave winner of the three-and-a-half-mile Aspace Cabins Grand National Trial Handicap at Punchestown today.

Silverburn may try to emulate full-brother Denman by capturing the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival after his all-the-way success in the totesport.com Challengers Novices’ Chase at Sandown.

HENRY De Bromhead is still adjusting to having the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle favourite housed in his yard.

Twist Magic floundered in the testing ground and suffered a shock reverse at the hands of front-running Tamarinbleu in the Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot.

Glencove Marina made a big splash in the ante-post markets on the Cheltenham Festival after running out a deeply impressive winner of the Paddy Fitzpatrick Memorial Novice Chase at Leopardstown.

Scotsirish got off the mark at the fourth attempt over the bigger obstacles when proving too strong for hot favourite Wins Now in the PBS Beginners’ Chase at Leopardstown.

Denman led all the way to win the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown in the style of a top-class performer.

Straw Bear (9-2) bounced back to his best to deny Harchibald a second win in the Stan James Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.

The mighty Denman might not have everything his own way in the Lexus Chase later in the month as 2006 winner The Listener showed his well-being ahead of a repeat bid with an emphatic success at Punchestown.

Twist Magic (5-1) ran out an impressive winner of the paddypower.com Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown.

Denman put up one of the best performances in recent memory to romp home under top weight in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury.