The impressive hurdling debutant Up For Review and Open Eagle provided Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh with a double in the maiden hurdle action at Fairyhouse yesterday.

Not too many trainers can be chasing Cheltenham festival glory 41 years after enjoying their initial success at the meeting.

Easter Monday 2016. Somewhere in County Meath. The traffic all the way up to Fairyhouse is brutal. It’s not surprising really.

Champion Hurdle-winning trainer Colm Murphy savoured a welcome change of luck when Catalaunian Fields landed the Thatch Bar Katies Kitchen Maiden Hurdle in Bellewstown last night.

Fresh from his Galway Hurdle exploits, trainer Tony Martin dominated day five at the Galway Festival, recording a near 144-1 treble with Vive La France, Tudor City and Dark Crusader.

The Cheltenham Bumper winner for 2017 may well have been sorted yesterday when a half-brother to the versatile Publican and the winning mare, Misspublican, was knocked down to Harold Kirk at Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sales for a world record for a national hunt three-year-old store of €320,000.

The ‘Shark’ Hanlon-trained Luska Lad rolled back the years by destroying the opposition in the four-mile open at the opening session of the Kinsale point-to-point festival at a wet Farrangalway on Saturday evening.

Joint-favourite Waxies Dargle, ridden for Noel Meade by Paul Townend, ploughed through the softening ground to land the €50,000 Ladbrokes Ireland Handicap Hurdle, feature on the opening day of Killarney’s May meeting.

It was, as Sandra Hughes put it, a day for the girls. The ‘McCoy factor’ and glorious sunshine brought 16,621 to Fairyhouse in the hope of an Irish Grand National fairytale.

The Tullow Tank is being prepared for next month’s Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse following a wasted journey to the Cheltenham Festival.

Flemenstar will make his long-awaited return in Saturday’s Webster Cup at Navan.

There may be a dictum that frowns on cheering in the press box, but the sight of Martello Tower persevering in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Chase was guaranteed to curry quiet favour among those tasked with covering these events. 

Mags Mullins saddled her first Festival winner when Martello Tower came out top in a gruelling battle for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Foxrock’s addition to the Ryanair Chase field sees 19 horses stand their ground for next Thursday’s Grade One at Cheltenham.

Foxrock will be supplemented for the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival after owner Barry Connell ruled out a tilt at the Gold Cup.

Trainer Eoin Griffin is keeping his fingers crossed Azorian has turned a corner after the highly-tried gelding gained an overdue success at Navan yesterday.

Willie Mullins singled out JLT Novices’ Chase hopeful Vautour for special praise after a post-racing workout after racing at Leopardstown on Saturday.

Jockey Jason Maguire has lost an appeal against the 14-day ban he picked up at Ludlow last week which rules him out of the upcoming Cheltenham Festival.

Versatile veteran Glenquest is set to tackle the Eider Chase in Newcastle on February 21 following his emphatic win in the Bet With The Tote Handicap Hurdle in Down Royal yesterday.

Spacious Sky should make Ruby Walsh’s trip to Down Royal worthwhile by landing the Bet With The Tote Handicap Hurdle today.

Owner Barry Connell believes Foxrock will not be out of place in tomorrow’s Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

Davy Russell has revealed that he is considering changing the tactics that proved so successful on board Lord Windermere in last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup, when the Jim Culloty-trained gelding takes his place in the Hennessy Gold Cup on Sunday.

On a particularly sad day at Thurles racecourse yesterday, following the death of owner and manager Pierce Molony, the two miles and six plus maiden hurdle was won in impressive fashion by Ryansbrook.

Equestrian: Leading owner Barry Connell is undecided whether to let The Tullow Tank line up at Leopardstown on Sunday week.

I was a little surprised at how much negativity there was about after Sprinter Sacre’s return at Ascot last Saturday, says Pat Keane.

Danny Mullins crowned a hugely successful week by completing a fine double on Gitane Du Berlais and Martello Tower on the final day of Limerick’s Christmas meeting, bringing his tally for the week to five winners

Hurricane Fly and Jezki face off for the sixth time at Leopardstown today in a fascinating clash for the Ryanair Hurdle.

Willie Mullins appears to hold most of the aces in the Navan Novice Hurdle on Sunday, with Shaneshill, Outlander, Killultagh Vic and Killer Crow among the 12 entries.

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.

There was a sensational start at Thurles yesterday when the hitherto unbeaten in nine races, Un de Sceaux, fell at the third last in the Killinan Beginners Chase.

Nicky Henderson has yet to make a final decision on whether Sprinter Sacre will make his eagerly-awaited return to action in the 888sport Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on December 6.

The Tullow Tank made an impressive return from a lengthy layoff as he claimed the Fairyhouse Membership 2015 On Sale Now Beginners Chase on his fencing bow at Fairyhouse yesterday.

Dual Grade One-winning hurdler The Tullow Tank makes his eagerly-anticipated debut over fences at Fairyhouse today.

Cheltenham Festival winner Very Wood made a solid start to his career over fences with a workmanlike success at Galway yesterday.

Leading Irish owner Barry Connell has replaced Danny Mullins with Adrian Heskin as his retained jockey.

The Tullow Tank will have his first race for Dessie Hughes in a beginners’ chase at the end of this month.

John Hanlon believes Usuel Smurfer has plenty going for him in the Guinness Kerry National at Listowel today.

Galway Plate hero Shane Shortall continued in top form when registering a double on Cassells Rock and Point Of Rescue in Bellewstown last night but also incurred a two-day whip ban.

Globe-trotting stayer Simenon could make a surprise first appearance over hurdles for a year and a half at Tipperary on Saturday.

The Tony Mullins-trained Sammy Black and John Ryan’s Kilcarry Bridge captured the big ‘pots’ on McHale day at Ballinrobe last night.

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.

Inis Meain will return over jumps at the Punchestown Festival following his impressive Flat victory at the Curragh on Sunday.