Thunder And Roses should triumph for in-form Davy Russell and Gigginstown House Stud in the €10 Admission To Non Festival Meetings Maiden Hurdle in Punchestown.

You just know the National Hunt campaign is about to hit top gear when a potential Cheltenham Gold Cup candidate is set to make his reappearance.

Rodger Sweeney is hopeful both Fiery Oscar and Shamiran can make their presence felt in the Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle (3.45) at Galway.

It was staring us in the face, but we couldn’t - or wouldn’t - see it.

The one certainty about the Tingle Creek at Sandown today is that it is going to be spectacular.

Absent for two years since winning a novice hurdle at the 2012 Punchestown Festival, Arvika Ligeonniere made a hugely impressive return to action and chasing debut in the Punchestown For Events Beginners Chase at Punchestown yesterday.

JESSICA Harrington’s Operating is the nap choice to get off the mark at the third time of asking in the Bumper at Punchestown tonight.

Attempting to understand just what the stewards in this country might do has become virtually impossible.

Tony McCoy’s visits to Ireland aren’t always the most successful, but he took his total for the two days at Fairyhouse to four when guiding Get Me Out Of Here to a smooth success in the Keelings’ Irish Strawberry Hurdle, before powering Alderwood to victory in the Rathbarry and Glenview Studs Novice Hurdle.

The Ladbrokes Irish Grand National is one of the most precious jewels in Ireland’s racing crown, and it was Lion Na Bearnai who came up trumps, returning at odds of 33/1, with the crowds happy to cheer him into the winners’ enclosure with his popular local trainer Tom Gibney.