Two dual Cheltenham heroes, former Champion Bumper and Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Champagne Fever and former RSA Chase and Gold Cup winner Lord Windermere, served up a real treat on a wintry November afternoon in Thurles.

Wayne Hutchinson believes Alan King has all angles covered as he fields both Sego Success and Midnight Prayer in the Betfred Classic Chase at Warwick today.

Officials at Chepstow are optimistic Saturday’s Coral Welsh Grand National will go ahead after being given the green light to move the feature event to a slot earlier in the afternoon.

It has always been about winning for Tony McCoy and even in the name of charity the 20-times champion National Hunt jockey made a triumphant one-off return to the saddle on Gannicus for the Clipper Logistics Leger Legends Race at Doncaster yesterday.

Tea For Two produced a visually exceptional display at Kempton on Saturday when he turned the William Hill Lanzarote Hurdle into nothing more than a routine canter.

Mountainous will have at least one prep run before thoughts turn to defending his crown in the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow on December 27.

I was originally due to ride Rubi Ball, who is now out for the season, in the Hennessy at Leopardstown tomorrow and so instead will team up with an old friend, Tidal Bay, for another old friend, Paul Nicholls.

This afternoon’s fixture at Plumpton could be the last National Hunt meeting on British shores for a few days as wet weather continues to disrupt the jumping programme.

Super Duty and Hadrian’s Approach return to Newbury today for a very different event to their previous encounter at the Berkshire course.

Auroras Encore could bid to emulate the legendary Red Rum by attempting to complete a rare National double in the same season.

Owner Graham Wylie insists Tidal Bay will not run in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup in March if “the ground is good or faster”.

I travel to Wales today for six rides at Chepstow and it is great that the rescheduled Welsh National forms part of the programme.

Tony McCoy does not feel Teaforthree’s chance in the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow is as clear-cut as the bookmakers seem to believe.

Evan Williams is no hurry to make plans for his John Smith’s Grand National hope Cappa Bleu.

There are several important reasons for Le Beau Bai to head to Sandown with a decent chance in today’s Bet365 Gold Cup.

Evan Williams is praying for rain at Aintree for his three entries in the John Smith’s Grand National on Saturday week.

The action from across the water has been decimated by the weather and if Ffos Las falls foul of an inspection, British racegoers will really be struggling for meaningful action.

CHARLIE Mann is sounding bullish ahead of Bench Warrent’s bid for glory in the Betfred Classic Chase at Warwick today.

WE can say withalmost total certainty, following yesterday’s Grade 1 Lexus Chase at Leopardstown, that Ireland will not win the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

Chicago Grey will not run in the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow on Tuesday.

MARGARET O’Sullivan is looking for her quality-over-quantity approach to pay off in a big way in next Tuesday’s Coral Welsh National.

Teaforthree is a possible for the Coral Welsh National following his encouraging run in a staying novice chase at Cheltenham.

The Tote are to sponsor the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter on March 19.

PAT Murphy’s training career has not exactly been littered with top National Hunt prizes, but he won the Welsh Grand National with Supreme Glory in 2001 and he tells Declan Colley how he plans to repeat the feat today with his lightly-raced nine-year-old Maktu.

James Motherway has been forced to rule Bluesea Cracker out of Saturday’s rearranged Coral Welsh National at Chepstow.

James Motherway has been forced to rule Bluesea Cracker out of Saturday’s rearranged Coral Welsh National at Chepstow.

Noel Glynn is weighing up the options for Becauseicouldntsee following his satisfactory return to action over hurdles last month.

DENMAN is likely to head to Punchestown after being ruled out of Saturday’s Coral Scottish Grand National.

This Saturday’s Coral Scottish National has suffered a second blow with the loss of Silver By Nature from a leg injury.

Nigel Twiston-Davies is weighing up the options for Ballyfitz following his fine effort in defeat in the Welsh National at Chepstow last week.

Iris De Balme has been ruled out of this afternoon’s Coral Welsh National at Chepstow after pulling out sore this morning.

Osana booked his ticket for a Christmas trip to Leopardstown with a comfortable victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Chase at Navan today.

BERONI, confidently ridden by Paul Townend, gave champion trainer Willie Mullins his first win in the prestigeous Troytown Handicap Chase at Navan yesterday.

Paul Nicholls is confident the testing conditions at Haydock tomorrow will not be a problem for Kauto Star when he makes his eagerly-anticipated return in the Betfair Chase.

With Denman not in competitive action on his very own day at Exeter it was up to stablemates Inchidaly Rock, Take The Breeze and The Minack to take up the slack.

THE major prize at Down Royal today is the Grade 1 JNwine.com Champion Chase, but there’s no solid reason top be overly optimistic about finding the winner so let’s concentrate, for the moment, on the Grade 2 ladbrokes.com Chase.

JIM Dreaper is keeping his fingers crossed Notre Pere can establish himself as a realistic Gold Cup contender this season as he prepares his stable star for a return to action.

NOTRE PERE jumped and galloped his rivals silly to take the Guinness Gold Cup by a whopping 13 lengths at Punchestown last night.

Notre Pere demonstrated his admirable stamina - not to mention a real touch of class - in powering to victory in the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup today.

Last season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup third Neptune Collonges is among six runners in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Recent Haydock winner Coe could return to the Merseyside track for the Blue Square Gold Cup on February 14.