THE sun is shining; the Taoiseach is gallivanting for Washington and Tracy Piggott is smiling so much she could be galloping down to Thomond Park of a Friday night.

TWELVE months on from throwing his Champion Hurdle bid into doubt with an unimpressive success in the totesport 0800 221 221 Contenders Hurdle at Sandown, Binocular was back at the Esher track on Saturday.

Robert Thornton could make a quicker-than-expected return from a serious knee injury.

Robert Thornton is hoping to be sent home from hospital later on Friday after a successful operation to repair ligaments in his knee.

Captain Chris rewarded the smattering of racegoers at Kempton with a performance of genuine substance in the Bet Multiples - Betdaq 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle.

LEADING Queen Mother Champion Chase hope Twist Magic is reported to be in rude health after enjoying a schooling session under big-race jockey Robert Thornton.

First-time blinkers were the remedy for Trenchant to savour the finest moment of his career in the totesport.com National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell.

Owner Andy Stewart is delighted Ruby Walsh has decided to stick with Poquelin after the Paddy Power runner-up was given the go-ahead for the Boylesports.com Gold Cup at Cheltenham tomorrow.

Anak made a successful transition from Flat racing to jumping as he put in a laboured performance to land the KBR Lashkar GAH Juvenile Maiden Hurdle at Plumpton.

FRESH from riding his first ever winner at the Cheltenham Festival, jockey Wayne Hutchinson partnered Long Hop to victory at Taunton in the same colours.

AND so things return to normality. For the first two days of the festival the bookies here took a dreadful hammering — losses were being calculated upwards by the million as each race passed – and by the end of trading on Wednesday conservative estimates of the bookies’ losses across the industry were being estimated at about £25m.

Felix de Giles produced Prophete De Guye with clockwork precision to deny 11-4 favourite Laharna in the Bet UEFA Cup - Betdaq Conditionals' Handicap Chase at Southwell.

Alan King completed a first-and-last-race double for the second year running at Warwick with jumping debutant Trenchant and smart bumper performer Double Pride.

Pat Murphy will bid to realise the dream of the late George Palmer with Maktu after the seven-year-old outstayed his rivals in the Lingley Caterers Handicap Hurdle at Hereford.

Notre Pere carved out his own little piece of racing history by becoming the first Irish-trained winner of the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow.

Kauto Star secured a magnificent third consecutive Stan James King George VI Chase at Kempton.

REIGNING Champion Hurdler Katchit’s season did not get off to the best possible start as he suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of Snap Tie in the WBX.COM Hurdle at Kempton yesterday.

THE teak-tough Blazing Bailey dug deep to win the ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle at Punchestown yesterday giving trainer, Alan King, his first ever winner at the Festival.

BLAZING Bailey exacted his revenge on Inglis Drever as the champion stayer again failed to fire at Aintree yesterday in the John Smith’s Great Float Social Club Liverpool Hurdle.

Tidal Bay continued to look like one of the most accomplished novice chasers on the scene as he stretched his unbeaten record over fences to three.

Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Voy Por Ustedes warmed up for loftier targets later in the season when narrowly failing to give lumps of weight away in the paddypower.com Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.

L’Antartique stormed up the famous Cheltenham hill to repeat his Festival success in a Paddy Power Gold Cup heavily tinged with sadness.

PUNTERS have struggled all week, but fortunes were taken out of the ring by Wichita Lineman in the Brit Insurance Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham yesterday, giving Tony McCoy a much needed change of fortune.

GVA Ireland is out to become the first horse to win the John Smith’s Midlands Grand National Chase twice when he lines up for the Uttoxeter marathon today.

Alan King and Robert Thornton landed their third Cheltenham Festival winner of the week when Katchit won the JCB Triumph Hurdle in great style.

Voy Por Ustedes, trained by Alan King and ridden by Robert Thornton, won the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, the feature race on the second day of the 2007 Cheltenham Festival.

EBAZIYAN got the Irish off to a flying start in the Anglo Irish Bank Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham yesterday, but the grey’s success was met by an almost deathly silence as he crossed the line, giving rider, Davy Condon, a first Festival winner.

My Way de Solzen picked up the torch for a new generation of staying hurdlers as he defied fears over the drying ground to land the Ladbrokes World Hurdle on the third day of the Cheltenham Festival.

THE story of the Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham yesterday told us something that is as old as the Festival itself.

My Way de Solzen appears increasingly likely to take his chance in next week’s Ladbrokes World Hurdle after further rain gladdened the spirits of trainer Alan King today.

Alan King, Martin Pipe and Nigel Twiston-Davies shared the training honours on the New Year’s Day card at Cheltenham by notching doubles.