Venitien De Mai and Goonyella provided Jim Dreaper and owners Ann and Alan Potts with a one-two in the €50,000 Woodlands 100 Club Leinster National, the feature race of yesterday’s action in Naas.

It appears increasingly likely that Crabbie’s Grand National winner Many Clouds may attempt to do the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup-Aintree double after his intended prep race was scuppered by the weather at Kelso on Saturday.

The Last Samuri will complete his preparations for the Crabbie’s Grand National in Saturday’s BetBright Grimthorpe Chase Handicap Chase at Doncaster.

Teenage sensation Jack Kennedy, who has not yet turned seventeen, registered his first wins as a 3lb. claimer when completing a hard-earned double on Steamboat Bill and Finea in Down Royal yesterday.

Gordon Elliott is to give No More Heroes a speculative entry in the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Michael Scudamore is “quietly hopeful” Monbeg Dude will prove his fitness in time for the Crabbie’s Grand National at Aintree in April.

Jonjo O’Neill feels it would be “silly” not to at least give More Of That the option of running in the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Pineau De Re returns to the scene of his finest hour in the Betfred Becher Chase at Aintree hoping to break a curse that stretches as far back as 2003.

Stuart Crawford could call upon the services of AP McCoy to partner Yes Tom in the Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr on Saturday.

Vautour is one of five potential runners for Willie Mullins after a total of 18 horses stood their ground for the Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

Joseph O’Brien has every intention of returning to action on the Flat this season after electing to miss the opening day of the Irish season at the Curragh tomorrow to ride over hurdles at Limerick.

Barry Geraghty expects to find out on Tuesday if the Punchestown Festival is a realistic target for his comeback from a broken leg.

The Druids Nephew enhanced his claims for the Crabbie’s Grand National when striding out a ready winner of the Ultima Business Solutions Handicap Chase at Cheltenham. 

All roads for Night In Milan now lead to Aintree and the Crabbie’s Grand National after he finished third in the Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster on Saturday.

Jonjo O’Neill believes ante-post favourite Shutthefrontdoor has been allotted a “fair weight” for this year’s Crabbie’s Grand National at Aintree.

The Tullow Tank is set to be prepared for the Cheltenham Festival following a much improved effort at Leopardstown.

Zarkandar will head straight to the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival with an upbeat report from trainer Paul Nicholls.

Pat Fahy has been forced to abandon plans to bring Morning Assembly back in time for the major spring Festivals.

McKinley, shock winner of a Grade One novice event at Naas on Sunday, has been given 11st 2lb in the BoyleSports Hurdle at Leopardstown on January 18.

Davy Condon is nearing a return to competitive action after riding out on Wednesday morning for the first time since suffering a heavy fall at Cork in August.

Willie Mullins expects Annie Power to return to full training following the busy Christmas period after scans revealed her injuries were not as bad as first feared.

Reigning Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Lord Windermere is one of the star names among 29 entries for the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on December 28.

Mark Walsh has been lined up to ride Jezki in Sunday’s StanJames.com Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown in the event Barry Geraghty is unavailable.

In a move that will have ramifications for any Irish trained runner in a National Hunt race in Britain, the BHA yesterday outlined a raft of new starting procedures for jumps races in a bid to avoid a repeat of the controversial start to last season’s Crabbie’s Grand National.

Taghrooda is on track for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe despite suffering a shock reverse at York last week.

Willie Mullins’ pair of On His Own and Boston Bob top a list of 10 declared runners for Wednesday’s Bibby Financial Services Ireland Punchestown Gold Cup.

Liam Lennon has his fingers firmly crossed Tammys Hill can transfer his smart hunter chase form to the open ranks when his stable star goes for glory in the Boylesports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday.

Trainer Thomas Gibney believes the controversial start to the Crabbie’s Grand National cost Lion Na Bearnaí virtually all chance of victory at Aintree.

The prestigious three mile and five furlong Boylesports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse is one of the few major prizes to elude champion trainer Willie Mullins and he unsurprisingly has a plethora of entries this year, including Prince De Beauchene, Vesper Bell, Touch The Eden and Away We Go.

Barry Connell must feel like kicking something.

Dr Richard Newland seems to be one of those rare people who would achieve in whichever field they set their mind to and the residents of Claines are grateful his passion happens to be for horse racing.

Pineau De Re claimed Crabbie's Grand National glory at Aintree for trainer Dr Richard Newland and jockey Leighton Aspell this afternoon.

Barry Geraghty and Nicky Henderson warmed up for Crabbie’s Grand National day by claiming a stunning 174/1 treble on Ladies’ Day at Aintree yesterday.

Owner Robert Waley-Cohen and his jockey-son, Sam, have enjoyed unprecedented success over the Aintree fences but it could all pale into insignificance if Long Run wins the first £1m (€1.2m) renewal of the Crabbie’s Grand National.

Tony McCoy is currently favouring Double Seven as his mount in Saturday’s Crabbie’s Grand National at Aintree.

As the market intensifies ahead of Saturday’s Crabbie’s Grand National at Aintree, Michael Scudamore’s Monbeg Dude was the one most punters were interested in on Tuesday.

Connections of Jezki are keen to let the dust settle after his Champion Hurdle triumph before deciding on plans for the remainder of the season.

Every race counts for Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls in the many meetings they have had this season, but the one of greatest importance will unfold in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Last Instalmen headed to England yesterday as trainer Philip Fenton delayed a decision on his participation in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup until the middle of the week.

Monbeg Dude makes a belated last public appearance ahead of the Crabbie’s Grand National when he lines-up for the William Hill Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster this afternoon.