Trainer Colm Murphy will resist the urge to throw Big Zeb back into battle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Sizing Europe faces six rivals as he aims to secure his third victory of the campaign in the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown today.

Big Zeb could run at Cork next Sunday ahead of his bid to win the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown a fourth time.

Peter Casey remains confident Flemenstar can develop into a serious Cheltenham Gold Cup candidate despite a scintillating victory over the minimum trip on his seasonal reappearance at Navan.

A faultless, front-running display by Flemenstar in the Grade 2 Irish Form Book Fortria Chase proved the highlight of yesterday’s action in Navan.

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

Colm Murphy is delighted with the current condition of his veteran Big Zeb ahead of Sunday’s Irish Form Book Fortria Chase at Navan.

Colm Murphy has confirmed his star mare Voler La Vedette will remain in training next season following her creditable run in defeat at Punchestown on Thursday.

THERE is a most disappointing start to the Punchestown festival this evening, with the three Grade 1 races producing very uncompetitive fields.

My first day at Punchestown doesn’t promise a whole lot and things can only get better as the week progresses.

Punchestown will be the place to be next week. Hurricane Fly, Sir Des Champs, Quevega and Quito De La Roque will be among the galaxy of equine stars looking to finish their seasons on a high.

The first four home from Cheltenham’s Queen Mother Champion Chase are all entered in what promises to be a memorable renewal of the Boylesports.com Champion Chase at Punchestown on April 24.

The first four home from Cheltenham’s Queen Mother Champion Chase are all entered in what promises to be a memorable renewal of the Boylesports.com Champion Chase at Punchestown on April 24.

The annual Inch point-to-point took place at its traditional Ballyanthony venue yesterday and, on a wind-swept afternoon that witnessed nine races, the Colin Bowe-trained Clondaw Knight (4/6) impressed by winning the first division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Willie Mullins would rather Quevega did not have to tackle Voler La Vedette in the Ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle at Punchestown.

Colm Murphy feels there are still many more races to be won with Big Zeb - although he is highly unlikely to scale the heights of his greatest success in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Finian’s Rainbow made Nicky Henderson’s afternoon perfectly complete following a sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase in which it was almost impossible to encapsulate the drama.

Finian’s Rainbow completed a magical afternoon for trainer Nicky Henderson and jockey Barry Geraghty as he landed the sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.

Last year’s winner Sizing Europe heads a select field of eight declared for Wednesday’s sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.

Asking for owner Pat Redmond at his Ashdown Park Hotel is met with the response one expects in racing-mad Ireland. “Yes, I know Big Zeb,” says the receptionist.

Jockey Robbie Power is ticking down the days before next week’s Cheltenham Festival.

Henry de Bromhead reports his 2011 Cheltenham Festival winners Sizing Europe and Sizing Australia raring to go back at Prestbury Park later this month.

Kauto Star is only “50-50” to make the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup after a fall when schooling last week, according to trainer Paul Nicholls.

Big Zeb is reportedly in fine shape ahead of his bid to regain the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Tony Martin is no hurry to commit Bog Warrior to Cheltenham following his all-the-way win at Naas on Saturday.

Colm Murphy faces a race against time to get Quito De La Roque ready for Cheltenham after the Grade One winner scoped badly last week.

YOU could only describe it as the herd mentality.

SIZING Europe proved himself on course for the defence of his two-mile crown at Cheltenham next month when slamming arch-rival Big Zeb in the Grade 2 Boylesports.com Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown yesterday.

Big Zeb’s owner Pat Redmond is placing a second victory in the Sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase as a greater priority than Sunday’s Boylesports.com Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown tomorrow.

MIDNIGHT GAME gets the nap to land a fascinating little four-runner Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Irish Racing Writers’ Novice Hurdle at Naas this afternoon.

PAUL NICHOLLS throws Al Ferof in at the deep end in the Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot today, but I think it is the right decision.

Dual winner Albertas Run heads the 38 entries for the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham on March 15.

SIZING Europe and Big Zeb will clash in the Boylesports.com Tied Cottage Chase on February 5.

COLIN TIZZARD plans to give Cue Card one more outing before having a tilt at the Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival.

BIG ZEB showed he is far from being a back number when powering away with the Grade 1 Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown yesterday.

Big Zeb won the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown for a third time when getting the better of Noble Prince.

BIG ZEB has to the choice to land the Grade 1 Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown this afternoon.

Colm Murphy believes everything is right for Big Zeb as he goes in search of his third victory in the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown.

Robbie Power looks set to maintain his partnership with Big Zeb when the former champion goes for a second straight victory in the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown on December 27.

A cracking renewal of the Grade One Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day is in prospect.

Denman appeared among 17 contenders for the Lexus Chase as the entries for the major races at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival were published.

THE handicapper had to allow himself a little smile of satisfaction, following two races of late.

FORMER two-mile champion Big Zeb and classy mare Volver La Vedette provided trainer Colm Murphy with a superb Grade 2 double when making successful seasonal debuts in Navan yesterday.

Colm Murphy’s two big guns, Big Zeb and Voler La Vedette, saw the Co Wexford trainer steal the show at Navan.