Sizing John was Moone, Co Kildare trainer Jessica Harrington’s first runner in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and last week he duly landed the biggest prize of the jumping calendar, writes Joe Finnegan.

Pádraig Harrington insists that temperamental Thomas Bjorn will not be a liability as Ryder Cup captain and conceded that his own captaincy ambitions will have to be reviewed if he’s not to miss the boat in 2020 or 2022.

Remember these names — PJ Gibbons profiles the young Irish people to watch in 2016. 

He might not be expecting a record breaker, but interest in The Late Late Toy Show is almost at fever pitch as more than 120,000 people applied for the just 200 Golden Tickets for tonight’s show.

What an incredible time for Munster, the fruits of Rob Penny’s plans. Not alone did his team produce the try of the round but they also secured the signatures of two ‘leaders’ and potentially a number 8 of real quality for next season.

Trainer Jessica Harrington has confirmed Jezki an intended runner in the Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

Eric McNamara is looking to Questions Answered giving him a fourth win in the Guinness Kerry National.

Next month’s Swinton Hurdle at Haydock is a possible option for Steps To Freedom after trainer Jessica Harrington decided against running him at the Punchestown Festival.

Blue Corner, who lost his unbeaten record at Fairyhouse on Sunday, could be seen next in the Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown on August 9.

La Collina is set to try her luck in the Etihad Airways Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh on May 27 following her creditable effort in the Newmarket equivalent.

DESSIE HUGHES believes Rivage D’Or’s ability to handle testing conditions will stand him in good stead at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

HOWARD JOHNSON has questioned the professionalism of Paul Gallagher after dispensing with the services of the 24-year-old conditional jockey who joined him from Ferdy Murphy in February.

Jessica Harrington admits being surprised at Bostons Angel’s victory in the Grade One Fort Leney Novice Chase at Leopardstown on Tuesday.

FORESTRY farmers have received approval for 1,500 hectares of new forestry planting for the current autumn planting season.

Laughing Lashes could test the water at the highest level on her next start following a stylish victory in the Debutante Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday.

SIX farmers have been short-listed as finalists in the National Dairy Council (NDC) Quality Milk Awards, the national competition which sets out to identify and reward the country’s top dairy farmer.

Builders battled lashing rain and muddy conditions today to put the finishing touches to this weekend's Electric Picnic festival.

TONY MARTIN abandoned any thoughts of going to Galway with Pires, after his well-backed five-year-old had won the Londis Close To You Novice Hurdle at the concluding stage of a very successful Killarney Festival yesterday.

A Co Tipperary footballer shot dead in Croke Park in 1920 is being honoured in his home village.

I READ with interest, the letter by Jim O’Sullivan on stem cells (March 2).

IRELAND’S first representative in the controversial but hugely popular ultimate fighting championship (UFC), Thomas ‘The Tank’ Egan, weighed in at a lean 12st 1lb at the O2 Arena in Dublin yesterday, ahead of his historic debut tonight.

Sabrina Harty will wait for drier conditions before deciding on plans for Won In The Dark following his run at Punchestown.

Dessie Hughes is likely to decide in a week’s time whether Hardy Eustace will go for the Bar-One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse on November 30.

Tom Taaffe reports Kicking King to be "absolutely fine" following his fall on his seasonal debut at Gowran Park yesterday.

JESSICA HARRINGTON hopes Macs Joy can return to the same form he was in when winning last year’s ACCBank Champion Hurdle as connections prepare for a repeat bid.

HUNGER striker, Kathryn Nelson, has indicated for the first time that she would be willing to suspend her protest if given guarantees that her complaints against the State would receive attention even after she resumed eating.

THE Isle of Man parliament is to raise the issue of Irish hunger striker Kathryn Nelson with the Garda Commissioner.

Straw Bear and Sweet Wake head 13 entries for the VC Bet Champion Novice Hurdle over two miles next Tuesday, the first day of the Punchestown Festival.

A GROUP of Irish antarctic exploration enthusiasts yesterday spent a total of €38,000 on historic items which belonged to Cork- born Polar explorer Patrick Keohane.

Showjumper Cian O’Connor, stripped of an Olympic gold medal over a horse doping scandal, will be considered for the Irish team to travel to the Beijing Games in 2008, it emerged today.

DEFENCE MINISTER Michael Smith will be seeking a share of the €14 billion funds in the SSIA schemes to finance the expansion of the naval service — particularly more high-speed drug trafficking interception boats.

The Co Kildare transsexual who lost her battle to be officially recognised as female is vowing to fight on.

A Co Kildare man in his mid-twenties has been killed in a road accident in Kildare town.

Gardai are investigating a porn site on the internet that contains the names of a number of Co Kildare politicians.