Briar Hill, winner of the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival in March, made a successful start over hurdles when justifying 1/9 favouritism in the opening Supporters Club AGM & Table Quiz Maiden Hurdle in Wexford yesterday, continuing the superb form of champion trainer Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh.

Ben Dalton proved himself to be a real super sub when guiding Sword Fish to an easy success in the featured Paddy Power Cork Grand National Handicap Chase yesterday.

The Dessie Hughes-trained White Star Line recorded a poignant victory in the Wilderness Chase in Clonmel yesterday.

The Amarillo Kid provided the County Wexford combination of trainer Willie Codd and jockey Mikey Fogarty with a memorable success when getting the better of gallant front-runner Fosters Cross in the Grade B Cork Racecourse Kinsale Handicap Chase in Cork yesterday.

Diplomat booked his ticket to join Dermot Weld’s all-conquering Galway Festival team with an easy victory in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Novice Hurdle at Sligo yesterday.

Charles Byrnes indicated at Limerick yesterday that Solwhit, so impressive at Aintree on Saturday, is likely to tackle Quevega in a three-mile Grade 1 hurdle at Punchestown later this month.

Spent a good few hours last Saturday morning studying the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

Dot Love, originally from Denmark and who trains in Co Westmeath, saddled Liberty Counsel to land a massive 50-1 surprise in the Ladbrokes’ Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse yesterday.

Some punters will be celebrating in style tonight after Liberty Counsel ran out a shock 50-1 winner of the Ladbrokes Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse this afternoon.

Colin McBratney feels Sole Witness has plenty in his favour when he goes for the Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park today.

Call The Police justified short-priced favouritism in the featured Grade 3 Beamish Stout Phil Sweeney Memorial Chase at Thurles yesterday, but not before giving punters a fright.

The locally trained Starkie, in the care of Henry de Bromhead, won the Waterford and Tramore Racecourse Novice Hurdle at the seaside track yesterday.

Jane Mangan continued her rapid rise up the ladder with another highly competent display aboard top weight Don’t Tell Pa in the Limerick Racecourse Handicap Hurdle at Limerick yesterday.

The Jim Bolger-trained Annie Power sent punters home happy when powering to victory in the Enniscorthy Mares Flat Race in rain-soaked Wexford last night.

The annual challenge between Irish and Australian national hunt jockeys takes place at the end of the month and the lucky quartet representing the Tricolour were named in Galway yesterday.

Michael Halford, still en route from Singapore, where Invincible Ash was in Grade 1 action on Sunday, missed seeing Massiyn and Paddy The Celeb provide him with a double at Roscommon last evening.

Local Celebrity and Dr.Machini completed a double for champion trainer Willie Mullins on yesterday’s jumps card in Sligo, the track’s first meeting of the year.

Trainer John Kiely earned the plaudits at Cork yesterday evening after recording a near 20-1 double courtesy of Saint Gervais and Kilbarry Beauty.

Paul Carberry received a timely pre-Cheltenham boost when guiding Oscar Hill to an easy win in the Roadhouse Pun Novice Handicap Hurdle in Downpatrick yesterday, first leg of a double for trainer Gordon Elliott, completed when Carberry’s sister Nina partnered Spring Lane to an odds-on win in the bumper.

CHARLIE SWAN’S Stephanie Kate made a successful return to flights when producing a fine display in the Munster Hurdle at Clonmel yesterday.

THE Limerick Christmas Festival of 2011 will live long in the memory of New Ross youngster Ben Dalton who rode the first double of his career and his fourth winner in as many days at Greenmount Park yesterday.

HAVING missed the ‘cut’ for the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown, the Ted Walsh-trained Seabass gained a degree of compensation when making virtually all the running to land the Tim Duggan Memorial Handicap Chase at Limerick yesterday.

A FIVE-TIME winner on the flat, Leah Claire belatedly opened her account over hurdles when turning over odds-on favourite Ceol Rua in the Saltees Island Mares Novice Hurdle in Wexford yesterday.

TRANQUIL SEA, winner of the race a year earlier, duly outclassed his three rivals in the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase at Clonmel yesterday.

CONOR O’Dwyer registered his second double at Wexford last night when Ninth Legion (Davy Russell) out-pointed favourite Winston Churchill in the Ferrycarraig Maiden Hurdle and Prosperity Square, ridden by 7lb. claimer Ben Dalton, coasted to a smooth success in the Tuskar Rock Beginners’ Chase.

AN enterprising, front-running ride by Andrew McNamara enabled Fearnwood Girl land the featured Irish Stallion Farms Novice Hurdle at Sligo yesterday.