We are an independent group of psychologists in Ireland. Same-sex preference is part of the spectrum of human sexuality and is in no way abnormal or pathological.

Balanced regional development – the Late, Late Show of regional planning with something for everyone in the audience – will ultimately fail Rural Ireland, argue Dr Brian Hughes and Dr Lorcan Sirr.

Sandy Thomson admits stable star Seeyouatmidnight has plenty on his plate as he bids for back-to-back victories in the Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock today. 

Vautour assumed clear favouritism for the JLT Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham after getting his fencing career back on track with a facile success in the Leopardstown Killiney Novice Chase yesterday.

Irish Examiner racing correspondent Pat Keane joined Channel 4 experts Jim McGrath, Graham Cunningham, Tanya Stevenson and Mick Fitzgerald, along with Racing UK presenters Rishi Persad, Oli Bell and Gordon Brown and former jockey Kirsty Milczarek, to offer some guidance and insight into who and what to look out for in the year ahead.

Pineau De Re will not run over fences again before he defends his crown in the Crabbie’s Grand National next April.

Thirty-nine jockeys were found in breach of a rule relating to the controversial start of this year’s Crabbie’s Grand National – but were given no more than a caution at a British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel hearing yesterday.

Yorkshire toasted its first Cheltenham Festival winner of the week when Hawk High swooped in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

Present View survived a lengthy stewards’ inquiry to give trainer Jamie Snowden a first Festival winner as he held Attaglance in a dramatic finish to the Rewards4Racing Novices’ Handicap Chase, the final race on day one of the Cheltenham Festival.

Brian Toomey “continues to show positive signs of recovery” from serious head injuries he suffered in a fall at Perth on July 4.

PJ Hayes thought nothing of it at the time. Kids haven’t a clue what their future holds when they’re six and so, when his son said he wanted to be a jockey, PJ smiled and thought nothing more of it.

Abbeyglen is a great character hotel, quirky and welcoming, writes Pól Ó Conghaile

On a flying visit home from his duties in Britain, County Armagh-born Brian Hughes provided trainer James Lambe with a 149/1 double in Downpatrick yesterday, thanks to perfectly-judged rides on Daytime Dreamer and Kingsmoss.

IN the adverts, the aroma of perfume causes men to fall at women’s feet, and vice versa. It’s far-fetched, but a new book claims we are drawn to people by their smell.

THE Professional Jockeys Association yesterday called for urgent progress in amending the new whip rules brought into effect last week.

The nine jockeys banned for failing to pull up during a race that was declared void at Wetherby last Wednesday have failed in their appeal against 10-day suspensions.

TONY MCCOY was one of nine jockeys at Wetherby hit with a 10-day suspension for failing to stop after a race had been voided yesterday.

BINOCULAR could bid to round off what has been another turbulent season in the Rabobank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown on May 6.

NEPTUNE Collonges is set to carry top weight in Saturday’s Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr.

Silver By Nature defied top weight in determined fashion to win the totesport.com Grand National Trial for the second year running at Haydock.

Bogside finally opened his account at the fifth attempt in the Kelso Members Novices' Hurdle at the Scottish venue this afternoon.

Jockey Brian Hughes is confident mercurial talent Tidal Bay can make his presence felt in next month’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.

David Pipe has trained a winner at every jumps track in Britain after Hunterview landed the feature John Smith’s Scottish County Handicap Hurdle at Musselburgh.

HELLO BUD was a gallant winner for the father and son team of Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davies in an eventful race for the totesport.com Becher Handicap Chase over the Grand National fences at Aintree yesterday.

Hello Bud was a gallant winner for the father and son team of Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davies in an eventful race for the totesport.com Becher Handicap Chase over the Grand National fences at Aintree.

Hello Bud was a gallant winner for the father and son team of Nigel and Sam Twiston-Davies in an eventful race for the totesport.com Becher Handicap Chase at Aintree.

DAVID CASEY is hoping to go two places better than two years ago when he renews his association with Snowy Morning in the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on Saturday.

NIGEL TWISTON-DAVIES is hoping to have six runners in the John Smith’s Grand National as he seeks a third success in the Aintree showpiece.

Nigel Twiston-Davies is hoping to have six runners in the John Smith’s Grand National as he seeks a third success in the Aintree showpiece.

DENIS O’Regan is under no illusions as to the task facing Tidal Bay in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Denis O’Regan is under no illusions as to the task facing Tidal Bay in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Tidal Bay and Howard Johnson returned like ghosts from Cheltenham past to plunder the Betfair Cleeve Hurdle.

Howard Johnson was quickly on the phone to Paul Carberry when his stable jockey Denis O'Regan broke a collarbone at Leopardstown on Sunday and having persuaded the Irish ace to come to Newcastle today, he provided him with a treble.

Brian Hughes faces about three weeks on the sidelines after breaking his collarbone in a nasty tumble at Sedgefield on Tuesday.

Brian Hughes was taken to hospital after suffering a crashing fall in the John Wade Waste Recycling Selling Handicap Hurdle at Sedgefield.

Joe Jo Star sprung a 16-1 surprise in the feature toteswinger Swinton Handicap Hurdle on a mixed card at Haydock.

Possol emerged as a possible Hennessy Gold Cup contender when running out a convincing winner of the £35,000 stanjames.com Festival Chase at Perth.

Connections of Fiftyfive Degrees believe there will be plenty more races to be won with the eight-year-old after he turned in an impressive performance at Newcastle.

Keith Reveley has top chances for another profitable weekend as Jass heads the Cleveland trainer’s charge at Newcastle.

Richard Ford will have more than one reason to celebrate should Chabrimal Minster finally land Saturday’s totesport Eider at the third attempt.

FORMER group chief executive of Waterford Wedgwood, Redmond O’Donoghue, has been appointed chairperson of Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority, by Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Martin Cullen.

Jimmy Moffatt has entered Chief Dan George for his first novice chase on Sunday - although the trainer stresses this may not mark the end of his hurdling career.

A 23-year-old man has appeared in court charged with the murder of his father who was shot dead in his home last Sunday.