The Monday morning after Aintree, a couple of weeks before the Punchestown festival, I spoke to Ruby Walsh.

Willie Mullins enjoyed a clean sweep of the Grade 1 events on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival, but some second-string representatives were called upon to help deliver the treble in front of a record opening-day crowd of 20,214.

On an evening when Mikey Fogarty was concussed and sustained an injury to his right knee in a fall before being removed to nearby South Tipperary General Hospital, the Tom Taaffe-trained Gold Bullet landed the featured Suir Valley Chase in Clonmel.

The Eddie Harty-trained Dalmatia should prove tough to beat in the Kilsheelan Mares Maiden Hurdle on today’s rescheduled card in Clonmel.

Don Cossack maintained his unbeaten record this season with a third victory from as many starts in a dramatic renewal of the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase.

Gordon Elliott is in confident mood as the talented Don Cossack bids to strike at the highest level for a second time in tomorrow’s John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase.

Jim Culloty is looking forward to getting his Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Lord Windermere back on the course in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown on Sunday.

A sparkling reappearance from Ladbrokes Ireland Fortria Chase winner Twinlight was the highlight of trebles for the formidable combination of Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh at Navan yesterday.

Champagne Fever and Sizing Europe are two of the star names amongst 11 entries for the Clonmel Oil Chase next Thursday.

Baily Green will bid to get his season on track in next month’s Clonmel Oil Chase.

Your Busy, now an 11-year-old, showed he is far from a back number when taking the featured McSweeney Arms Hotel Killarney National Handicap Chase at the Kerry track last night.

Fascinating Rock looks the logical choice in the Group 3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown tomorrow.

It’s all systems go for the start of Punchestown today and I will arrive in a positive frame of mind, after making a successful comeback aboard Un de Sceaux at Auteuil on Saturday.

The evergreen and ever popular Sizing Europe is set to make his fifth successive appearance in the Boylesports.com Champion Chase at Punchestown on Tuesday.

Philip Fenton, who has endured a torrid few weeks, might have reason to smile after the INH Stallion Owners EBF Mares’ Maiden Hurdle at Navan this afternoon.

The Tullow Tank and Last Instalment impressed trainer Philip Fenton in a workout yesterday ahead of Sunday’s top-class fixture at Leopardstown.

Philip Fenton, one of the quiet men of Irish racing, hasn’t half emerged with real credit over the last ten days or so.

Noel Meade’s Texas Jack beat Baily Green to land the Grade 2 Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles yesterday, but it was the third horse, Last Instalment, that was the real eye-catcher.

Dessie Hughes insists Our Conor “couldn’t be better” ahead of his second crack at Hurricane Fly in the BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on January 26.

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.

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

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.

Sizing Europe is the star name among a fascinating field of eight runners in the PWC Champion Chase at Gowran Park today.

Gary Moore's Ubak shed his maiden tag in some style by running out a surprise winner of the John Smith's Mersey Novices' Hurdle at Aintree this afternoon.

He may have only beaten the well-exposed Baily Green by two and a quarter lengths in the Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy, but do not doubt that Nicky Henderson’s Simonsig is the real deal.

Nicky Henderson’s Simonsig maintained his unbeaten record over fences in the Racing Post Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival, but not without a fight.

Red-hot favourite Simonsig was made to pull out all the stops to claim the Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival.

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.

I had planned to fly over last night but have been laid low by a chest infection since Friday.

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.

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

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

Hurricane Fly landed a twelfth Grade 1 success and crowned a great day for Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh when winning the Dobbins & Madigans Morgiana Hurdle in Punchestown yesterday.

It was another great week with two winners from five runners, with the other three delighting me as well, while I was pretty hopeful that Miss Macnamara and Posh Frock would go close in Dundalk last night too.

Tom Cooper believes Forpadydeplasterer could be the forgotten horse of Saturday’s Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

Peter Casey stresses that the Irish Form Book Fortria Chase at Navan tomorrow is a starting point for his flagship horse Flemenstar.

The Gordon Elliott-trained Roi Du Mee, enterprisingly ridden by Paul Carberry, completed back-to-back wins in the Star ‘Best For Racing Coverage’ Chase, one of four Grade 3 events on yesterday’s card in Punchestown.

Trifolium should make a successful return to action in the Grade 3 Ryan’s Cleaning Events Specialists Hurdle in Punchestown today.

Punchestown officials remain hopeful of racing going ahead today despite yesterday’s fixture being lost to waterlogging.

The Mouse Morris-trained Baily Green rounded off a superb summer campaign when landing the Grade 3 Kilbegnet Novice Chase in Roscommon yesterday.

Noel Meade admits Dylan Ross has plenty on his plate as the smart hurdler kicks off his career over fences at Roscommon on Monday.

Missunited can continue the remarkable run of her trainer, Michael Winters, by landing the Easyfix Rubber Products Novice Hurdle at Galway this evening.

Next week's Galway Festival is the focus of interest for all Irish racing enthusiasts but before getting immersed in the Ballybrit meeting, I've come across to London for the first few days of the Olympic Games.