Oscar Whisky is poised to try to spoil Big Bucks' bid for a fourth Ladbrokes World Hurdle triumph following his emphatic victory in the Cheltenham & Three Counties Race Club Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Nicky Henderson introduced yet another decent-looking youngster in the Ferns Group "National Hunt" Maiden Hurdle at Ascot this afternoon.

NEW PHASE, winner of the contest a year ago, repeated the trick at Cork yesterday when landing the Follow Us On Facebook Hurdle.

The entries are rolling in for the Ladbrokes.com Irish Derby and it now looks certain that the target of 144 entries will be received by Friday’s closing date. Up to late yesterday evening there were almost 100 names in the book and with some of the top kennels yet to confirm their plans.

VETERAN trainer Cecil Ross savoured the first double of his training career when favourites Lisrenny Lady and Son Of My Heart, both ridden by Robbie Colgan, landed the opening maiden hurdles at Sligo last night.

BRILLIANT mare Voler La Vedette rallied in terrific style to snatch the Grade 2 Keelings Irish Strawberry Hurdle.

See U Bob will bid to end the season on a rare high in the Ladbrokes Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday.

Shinrock Paddy made the perfect start to the new campaign with victory in the Tipper Road Hurdle at Naas today.

A SUCCESSFUL chasing debut for 148-rated hurdler Noble Prince proved the highlight of doubles for trainer Paul Nolan and bang-in-form Paul Carberry at Punchestown yesterday.

SIZING AUSTRALIA finally got off the mark over fences when producing a game display to land the Liams Legends 2010 Beginners Chase at Thurles yesterday.

ALAIN CAWLEY, having a first ride back since dislocating his shoulder on August 19, powered Far Away So Close to victory in the Visit Tipperary Maiden Hurdle at Tipperary yesterday.

CRUISING KATIE, the only horse Richard Cotter from Ballynoe, Co Cork, has in training did him proud when taking the Greenmount Annual Members’ Novice Chase at Limerick yesterday.

PAUL NOLAN’S Cuan Na Grai will prove hard to beat in the Town and District Chase at Tipperary tonight.

HIGH-CLASS mare Profound Beauty proved herself on course for a return to Flemington in November, for the Melbourne Cup, when turning over Ballydoyle hot-pot Age Of Aquarius in the listed Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown yesterday.

PAUL NOLAN’S classy Cuan Na Grai toyed with the opposition on the way to landing the Supermacs’ Drive Thru Hurdle at Limerick yesterday.

EOIN GRIFFIN, without a success since Baracas won at Dundalk last November, finally ended his time in the wilderness when St Devote landed the Special Olympics Maiden Hurdle at Limerick yesterday.

La Touche Cup runner-up Freneys Well went one better in the Irish Field Chase at Punchestown.

THERE could hardly have been a more popular winner of Sunday’s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown than Joncol.

Joncol is only 50-50 to participate at the Cheltenham Festival despite his battling success in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

PAUL NOLAN’S decision to change tactics with Joncol worked a treat as Alain Cawley brought him with a withering challenge to beat the gambled-on Cooldine in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown yesterday.

Joncol, trained by Paul Nolan and ridden by Alain Cawley, won the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

THE Willie Austin-trained Four Chimneys proved his liking for Limerick when powering home a seven lengths winner of the Patrickswell Community Council Handicap Hurdle yesterday.

Shinrock Paddy confirmed himself an exciting prospect with a runaway win in the Barry & Sandra Kelly Memorial Hurdle at Navan for Paul Nolan and Alain Cawley.

Joncol booked his ticket to the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on December 28 when showing plenty of guts to win the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown this afternoon.

EXCITING novices Sweeps Hill and Some Present were involved in a farcical, cat-and-mouse battle for the four-runner Tote Sports Lounge Novice Hurdle at Punchestown yesterday.

SHINROCK Paddy should make a successful hurdling debut in the Punchestown Event Centre Maiden Hurdle at Punchestown today.

WILLIE Mullins and Ruby Walsh shared a double with Scholar’s Mate and Our Monty in the two handicap hurdles at Punchestown yesterday.

CUAN Na Grai, taken out twice of late because of quick ground by Paul Nolan, found conditions to his liking in the Festival 18th and 19th July Hurdle at Tipperary last night.

ANOTHER page in the remarkable history of the Mullins racing dynasty was written at Clonmel last night when Bachelor Affair provided Gerard Mullins with his first training success.

SIZING EUROPE made a successful start to his chasing career when outclassing his 17 rivals in the Evening Meetings At Punchestown Beginners Chase.

FALTERING FULLBACK buckled down in fine style to land the McSweeney Arms’ Hotel Hurdle at Killarney last night.

PAUL NOLAN’S See U Bob made all the running to take a dramatic Ladbrokes Odds On Loyalty Card Handicap Hurdle at sun-drenched Killarney yesterday.

The Galway Hurdle is the aim for Paul Nolan's See U Bob after he ran out a game winner of the Ladbrokes Odds On Loyalty Card Handicap Hurdle at Killarney today.

WILLIE Mullins was handed a timely boost with the victory of Ballytrim in the Powers Ulster Grand National EBF Handicap Chase, part of a treble at Downpatrick yesterday.

WILLIE MULLINS recorded his 18th bumper victory since November 1 when Alexander Seaview made a successful debut in the finale at Fairyhouse yesterday.

NIALL MADDEN emerged from yesterday’s Grade 2 MacLochlainn Road Markings Ltd Kinloch Brae Chase with great credit, guiding Cailin Alainn to a clever success.

THERE’S little doubt the most promising horse on view at Limerick yesterday was Willie Mullins’ Quiscover Fontaine and he duly completed a hat-trick of wins in the Greenmount Racing Club Novice Hurdle.

THE Grand National may have been the feature at a packed Cork yesterday, but as far as the future is concerned there was one horse who literally took your breath away and that was Paul Nolan’s Alpha Ridge in the Dial-A-Bet 1800 721 821 EBF Novice Hurdle.

PAUL NICHOLLS has made no secret of his desire to be champion trainer in Ireland this season and his second shot of the campaign hit the bullseye at Limerick yesterday when Dear Villez landed the ladbrokes.com Munster National.

SESENTA will surely face a fair old hike in the weights, after scampering to a clear-cut six lengths success in the featured Listowel Races Supporters’ Club Lartigue Hurdle at Listowel yesterday.

PHILIP ROTHWELL’S The God Of Love jusitifed favouritism with a smooth success in the Tipperary Town Maiden Hurdle at Tipperary last night.

FLORRIE’S BOY, trained by Eamonn ‘Dusty’ Sheehy for the Butler Family Syndicate, proved a fortunate winner of the Gain Horsefeeds Novice Chase at Clonmel last night.

DAVY RUSSELL consolidated his position at the top of the jockeys’ championship when driving Front Man to victory in the Holy Cross Maiden Hurdle at Thurles yesterday.

JOHN McCONNELL, who moved from his Monaghan base to the Curragh last week, was on the mark at Cork yesterday when Coolnaharan landed the Alchemy Properties Handicap Hurdle.