China Rock faces a spell on the sidelines after a setback ruled him out of an intended run at Gowran Park last weekend.

Top Man Michael can win the Kilkenny three-year-old Hurdle at Gowran Park today, where the feature is the Grade 2 PWC Champion Chase.

China Rock was well beaten at Punchestown on Tuesday but he was the star turn on the closing day of the Festival meeting on Saturday.

China Rock made a swift reappearance pay as he triumphed in thetote.com Punchestown Gold Cup.

Sizing Europe rounded off his campaign with a workmanlike success in the boylesports.com Champion Chase at Punchestown last evening.

Sizing Europe defied the gruelling conditions as he pulled out all the stops to land the Boylesports.com Champion Chase at Punchestown.

Henry de Bromhead reports Sizing Europe to be “bouncing” as he bids to end his season on a high in today’s Boylesports.com Champion Chase.

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

A decision on which race First Lieutenant contests at the Punchestown Festival could be dictated by the target of the impressive Sir Des Champs.

Ireland’s champion trainer Willie Mullins has never won the Gold Cup, and this time relies upon Quel Esprit, a good winner of the Irish Hennessy on his last start.

Jessica Harrington has all but ruled out a tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Bostons Angel following another disappointing run at Leopardstown.

The hitherto frustrating Quel Esprit finally got his act together over fences with a power-packed front-running display to land the Grade 1 Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown yesterday.

Quel Esprit booked his Cheltenham ticket when making virtually all the running to give Willie Mullins an eighth victory in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

CHINA Rock has been given a clean bill of health following his fine comeback run at Punchestown on Saturday.

Ut De Sivola gave odds-on backers a scare in the Visit Punchestown.com Juvenile Hurdle.

The stage is set for Kauto Star and Long Run to clash again in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 16.

Quito De La Roque and Rubi Light are the star names among 13 possible runners for the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on December 28.

MOUSE MORRIS is pleased there is no lasting damage to his Cheltenham Festival winner First Lieutenant after his bad mistake in the Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

Mouse Morris hopes to have China Rock back in training next season as the gelding continues to recover from an injury he picked up in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

In just two starts, Dermot Weld's Unaccompanied has made a real name for herself over hurdles.

TWENTY-FOUR horses, and all the big names, remain in the reckoning at the latest forfeit stage for next month’s totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Kempes ran out a clear-cut winner of the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown for Willie Mullins and David Casey.

ANYONE who knows me will be well aware that sitting on the fence is not in my nature, but it is precisely what I intend to do as far as tomorrow’s Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown is concerned.

LEOPARDSTOWN yesterday announced the entries for the 4 Grade 1 races on Sunday, February 6, the featured Hennessy Gold Cup, Dr PJ Moriarty Chase, Deloitte Novice Hurdle and the Spring Juvenile Hurdle.

DENMAN put the finishing touches to his Hennessy Gold Cup preparations yesterday.

CHINA ROCK has been ruled out of Saturday’s Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury after suffering a minor setback.

NICKY HENDERSON is ready to let Barry Geraghty get the leg up on Burton Port in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury — despite the fact it would mean him carrying overweight.

DENMAN has been left at the head of the weights and is one of 34 remaining entries for the Hennessy Gold Cup on Saturday week.

Kauto Star, trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Ruby Walsh, has won the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal.

IF Kauto Star is anywhere near the horse he has been throughout his career then you’d have to think him capable of dismissing the opposition at Down Royal today.

ANDREW Lynch is confident a lack of stamina will not be an issue when Sizing Europe pits his wits against Kauto Star at Down Royal on Saturday.

THE performances of Roderic O’Connor and Glor Na Mara, in last Saturday’s Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, showed that the Irish juveniles are at least on a par with their English counterparts, with the exception of Frankel.

MOUSE MORRIS is considering a tilt at the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby for his classy performer China Rock.

Mouse Morris is considering a tilt at the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby for his classy performer China Rock.

TOM COOPER is preparing his stable star Forpadydeplasterer for a crack at the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day.

CHINA ROCK justified strong market support when comprehensively getting the better of Sizing Europe in the Star ‘Best For Racing Coverage’ Chase at Punchestown.

THE unseasonal quick surface has taken its toll on Punchestown this afternoon and the three Grade 3’s on the programme are all set to house odds-on favourites.

Colm Murphy will be hoping for a change of fortune for Zaarito in tomorrow’s Growise Champion Novice Chase at the Punchestown Festival.

Copper Bleu (12-1) won an eventful renewal of the Jewson Novices’ Handicap Chase, the first race on day three of the Cheltenham Festival.

Alpha Ridge may seek a second consecutive victory in the Galmoy Hurdle after proving a disappointment over fences at Leopardstown.

CHINA Rock should make a successful chasing debut in the Gowran Park Racing Club 2010 Beginners Chase at Gowran Park today.

WILLIE Mullins is double-handed in the Land Rover Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown today with both Mikael D’Haguenet and Cousin Vinny representing the champion trainer.