Shaneshill and Outlander confirmed themselves exciting hurdling recruits when registering smooth, odds-on wins for Willie Mullins in yesterday’s maiden hurdle action in Fairyhouse.

Hurricane Fly, who did a piece of work on the lead in to the race which was so bad that it shocked Willie Mullins, made no mistake to take a fourth successive Grade 1 BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown yesterday.

Bryan Cooper’s decision to partner Gigginstown House Stud’s Trifolium, in preference to Mozoltov, reaped a rich dividend in the Grade 1 Frank Ward Solicitors’ Arkle Novice Chase at Leopardstown yesterday.

Off the track since April, Boston Bob returned in triumph to justify 8/11 favouritism in the Follow Punchestown On Facebook Hurdle at Punchestown, sparking a New Year’s Eve double for Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh.

For a moment yesterday, RTÉ’s chat show host Ryan Tubridy had the press at his mercy: Then he put the gun down.

Placed in both the Dante Stakes in York and the Irish 2,000 Guineas, Trading Leather made it third-time-lucky as a three-year-old and booked his ticket to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby when justifying 5/4 favouritism in the listed TRM Silver Stakes in the Curragh yesterday.

Battle Of Marengo proved a convincing winner of the Group 3 PW McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes, the highlight of a treble for Aidan and Joseph O’Brien in testing ground at Leopardstown yesterday.

On a day when his son Patrick equalled the amateur record on Union Dues in the bumper, Willie Mullins unleashed another potential star, Pont Alexandre to make an impressive Irish debut in the Grade 1 Navan Novice Hurdle in Navan yesterday.

NEXT month a number of really talented horses will arrive at Cheltenham with no more than an outside chance of winning.

Georgia Salpa is already facing eviction from 'Celebrity Big Brother' after less than a week in the house.

WILLIE MULLINS’ So Young enjoyed his anticipated lap of honour in the Listed Horse And Jockey Hotel Hurdle at Thurles yesterday.

GODOLPHIN broke back into the Royal Ascot spotlight as Rewilding hunted down the Australian giant So You Think in a captivating Prince of Wales’s Stakes yesterday.

THE Aidan O’Brien-trained Recital is a best-priced 7/1 shot for the Investec Derby at Epsom following a less than convincing victory over stable companions Memphis Tennessee and Regent Street in the Group 2 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown yesterday.

WATCHING Hurricane Fly coast away with the Rabobank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown last night one’s thoughts drifted back to the mighty Istabraq.

A 1-2 for England in yesterday’s rescheduled Lexus Chase at Leopardstown, What A Friend beating Money Trix, confirmed what most of us thought anyway that there is little or no chance of an Irish success in the 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Hurricane Fly is just 7-2 with Cashmans for the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle next spring after registering another Grade One prize at Leopardstown.

A second Cheltenham Festival winner moved a step closer for Tralee handler Tom Cooper as River Liane produced a special performance in the Madigans Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Connections of Master Minded were understandably delighted after their emerging star jumped to prominence for the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase with victory on Saturday.

Nick Mitchell is preparing himself for another few days with just The Listener for company as the pair travel over for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Sunday week.

Sizing Europe soared to the head of the betting for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle as he left dual winner of the blue riband Hardy Eustace trailing in his wake at Leopardstown.

THE relatively new combination of Edward O’Grady and Andrew McNamara was cemented in spectacular style at Leopardstown yesterday in front of an attendance of 17,000.

LEGENDARY gambler Harry Findlay landed a massive touch when Denman produced a sensational display to overpower his rivals in the Royal and SunAlliance Chase at Cheltenham yesterday, writes Pat Keane.

ARAN CONCERTO will travel to Cheltenham next month with all guns blazing, following a smooth success in the Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown on Saturday.

THE layers were left reeling after Charles Byrnes' Cailin Alainn kept her unbeaten record over fences with a terrific display in the other Grade 1 on the card at Leopardstown yesterday, the Powers' Whiskey Novice Chase.

SLIPPERS MADDEN, brilliant aboard Jazz Messenger at Kempton on St Stephen's Day, rode another peach of a race when guiding Nickname to a smooth success in the Grade 1 Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown yesterday.

BRAVE INCA heads a list of six possible runners in the Ballymore Properties Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

Dual Champion Hurdle winner Hardy Eustace and crack mare Asian Maze will be entered in the Grade Two Boylesports.com International at Cheltenham on December 9.

BRAVE INCA is now clear favourite for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham following yet another superb performance in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown yesterday.

JOHN MURPHY enjoyed the biggest success of his seven-year training career when Newmill won the Grade Two MacLochlainn Road Markings Ltd Kinloch Brae 'Chase at Thurles yesterday.

ROGER LOUGHRAN, who turned professional only on December 17, was hit with a 14-day ban after committing a dreadful error aboard Central House in the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown yesterday.

RATHGAR BEAU is likely to take his chance against Moscow Flyer and Azertyuiop in the Queen Mother two mile Champion 'Chase at Cheltenham following a smooth success in the MacLochlainn Road Markings Limited Kinloch Brae 'Chase at Thurles yesterday.