Wasn’t the racing in Ireland last weekend desperately disappointing? What is happening in the National Hunt game in this country is simply turning punters off.

Barry Geraghty has spoken of his disappointment at missing out on the chance to land back-to-back BetVictor Queen Mother Champion Chases with Sprinter Sacre.

Willie Mullins has sounded a cautious note about a potential Stan James Champion Hurdle bid for the exciting Un De Sceaux.

When a horse does a number of things wrong through a race and still wins in a canter then you have to sit up and take notice.

I was all set to travel to Sandown today to ride Un de Sceaux in a Listed hurdle, but those plans went west yesterday morning.

The rather frustating Si C’etait Vrai is worth risking in the 5 Star Sunday-6th April Beginners Chase at Fairyhouse this afternoon.

Ruby Walsh has admitted he would not have ridden Big Buck’s any differently in last Saturday’s Cleeve Hurdle.

Big Buck’s is as short as 6-4 favourite to regain his Ladbrokes World Hurdle crown after the current champion Solwhit was ruled out of the race with injury.

Jockey Barry Geraghty believes the state of the going on Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup day will have a big bearing on whether Bobs Worth can retain his crown on March 14.

The handicapper’s ratings say he can’t win, but Rupert Lamb nevertheless gets the nap in the Listed Racecourse Supporters’ Club Chase at Thurles this afternoon.

Well, those who were of the opinion that most of the top horses in the country were housed in the one place, at Willie Mullins’, discovered it wasn’t quite as simple as that over the four days of the Leopardstown Christmas festival Mullins had a reasonably good meeting, winning six of the 28 races, but his dominance was nowhere near as pronounced as some might have anticipated.

Trainer Shark Hanlon plans to appeal against the result of yesterday’s Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown after Hidden Cyclone was narrowly denied by Benefficient.

Tony Martin’s Benefficient proved himself a tough customer when taking the Grade 1 Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at a miserably wet and windy Leopardstown yesterday.

Officials at Leopardstown will monitor weather conditions heading into today’s second day of the Christmas meeting with high winds and heavy rain forecast.

Arvika Ligeonniere is fancied to have the legs on Sizing Europe in the Grade 1 Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown this afternoon.

Thursday will be the first St Stephen’s Day I have spent riding in this country since 2001.

Having already rattled off a century of winners in record time, Willie Mullins has this season taken his domination of Irish National Hunt racing to another level.

Mouse Morris is looking forward to getting Baily Green (right) back on the track in the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown on December 27.

The Grade 1 John Durkan Memorial Chase proved a major anti-climax in Punchestown yesterday as the Willie Mullins-trained Arvika Ligeonniere coasted to an effortless nine lengths win over 2011 winner Rubi Light.

It’s a busy weekend for Willie Mullins’ stable, with runners at four meetings, including this afternoon at Aintree, but I’m staying at home to ride at Navan, where the exciting Faugheen and Felix Yonger hold very strong claims.

Willie Mullins has unveiled a powerful team for the marquee races at this year’s Leopardstown Christmas Festival.

Sizing Europe is on course to defend his crown in the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown on December 27.

The progressive Willie Mullins-trained Arvika Ligeonniere was far too good for his five rivals in the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase at Clonmel yesterday.

Arvika Ligeonniere can land a cracking renewal of the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase at Clonmel this afternoon.

The clash so many had been looking forward to all week at Punchestown, Solwhit versus Quevega, in yesterday’s Grade 1 Ladbrokes’ World Series Hurdle, failed to materialise, after Solwhit was sensationally withdrawn at the start.

Jezki boasts a perfect record over flights and the smaller-than-expected field casts aside concerns that he may not operate as well in numerically strong races.

Rubi Light can land the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase on a terrific card at Navan this afternoon.

It is hard to believe that Bostons Angel (2.50) hasn’t won a race since capturing the RSA Chase at Cheltenham almost two years ago. He could do with a victory now for his confidence – you never see a sad horse in a parade ring!

Benefficient won a dramatic race in a three-runner affair for the Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Novice Chase at Leopardstown.

Benefficient won a dramatic race in a three-runner affair for the Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Novice Chase at Leopardstown.

It will be a major surprise should Hurricane Fly fail to cement his place near the top of the Champion Hurdle market in the BHP Insurance-sponsored Irish equivalent at Leopardstown tomorrow.

It was very sad to lose Jenari after breaking his leg on Tuesday when doing a bit of a breeze ahead of an intended engagement in Leopardstown today.

Two former champion hurdlers are set to clash at Leopardstown on Sunday, with Hurricane Fly and Binocular amongst six remaining possible runners in the BHP Irish Champion Hurdle.

Arvika Ligeonniere is one of five entries from Willie Mullins in the Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Chase at Leopardstown on January 27.

David Pipe will aim Grands Crus at either the Betfred Gold Cup or the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival following his pleasing comeback run at Kempton.

Sizing Europe duly landed the Grade 1 Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown yesterday, but, like Arvika Ligeonniere the previous day, was less than impressive.

Willie Mullins’ Arvika Ligeonniere, so impressive in the Drinmore at Fairyhouse previously, added to that success in the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown yesterday, but you would have to say was less than impressive.

Arvika Ligeonniere has secured his second consecutive Grade One prize with another fine front-running display in the Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown.

Willie Mullins’ Blood Cotil can land the Grade 2 Q8 Oils Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day.

Arvika Ligeonniere aims to enhance his Arkle claims as he comes back in trip for the Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown on Wednesday.

I’m hoping to win the King George at Kempton on Wednesday aboard Kauto Stone, but the more I’ve looked at the race the more convinced I’ve become that Long Run is going to be hard to beat.

Arvika Ligeonniere and Oscars Well could clash in the Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day.

Noel Meade will consider stepping Monksland up to three miles on his next appearance following a fine run in defeat in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle.

Arvika Ligeonniere is set to test his Arkle credentials at Leopardstown over Christmas after making all for an impressive success in the Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse.