Grand National-winning jockey Jason Maguire has announced his retirement from the saddle.

The Last Samuri can give trainer Kim Bailey a second success in the Aintree Grand National, 26 years after Mr Frisk set a course record with an emphatic display.

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.

With only one winning favourite on the seven-race programme, bookmakers got an early Christmas present at Thurles, where 20-1 chance Seabass turned back the clock when running away with the David O’Halloran Memorial Rated Novice Hurdle in the hands of Katie Walsh.

Grand National-winning trainer Donald McCain believes horses have been the forgotten factor in the decision to put back the start of the world’s greatest steeplechase to 5.15pm.

Jason Maguire will today undergo an operation in a bid to save his career.

Flemenstar will make his long-awaited return in Saturday’s Webster Cup at Navan.

Grand National-winning rider Jason Maguire appears set to miss this year’s renewal of the Aintree spectacular on April 11.

He may have a fair way to go to be in the Willie Mullins league, but Gordon Elliott is getting there - and quickly writes Pat Keane.

Sprinter Sacre is set to line up for the Sodexo Clarence House Chase at Ascot tomorrow after trainer Nicky Henderson “pressed the green button” following an all-important walk of the course on Thursday morning.

Jezki remains on course for another clash with great rival Hurricane Fly in the BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle back at Leopardstown on January 25.

Next month’s Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown is a likely next port of call for Hidden Cyclone following another admirable effort at Leopardstown over the festive period.

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.

Horses like Sizing Europe certainly don’t come around too often and when the veteran performed poorly at Clonmel recently his trainer, Henry de Bromhead, must have wondered, at least momentarily, if he might ever be lucky enough to come across one like him again.

The sponsors are unable to split Present View and Oscar Whisky at the five-day declaration stage for the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Jason Maguire made the perfect comeback after six months out of the saddle through injury when winning on Bonne Fee at Newton Abbott yesterday, his first ride back.

Donald McCain has taken the tough decision to retire his 2011 Champion Hurdle runner-up Peddlers Cross.

Kid Cassidy (11st 10lb), second in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham in 2013 and the only horse to have lowered the colours of Sire De Grugy last season, heads the weights for next week’s thetote.com Galway Plate.

Dermot Weld has been leading trainer at the Galway festival on 27 occasions.

The Punchestown festival will see the end of the National Hunt season in the dying days of this month and into early May.

Not content with having another shot at winning the Crabbie’s Grand National, Across The Bay’s localowners have even begun writing their own headlines.

Mossey Joe will run in the Crabbie’s Fox Hunters’ Chase at Aintree rather than in the Grand National.

Ballycasey’s blip when falling in a schooling session after racing at Leopardstown has not unduly concerned Willie Mullins ahead of today’s RSA Chase (2.05) at Cheltenham.

Willie Mullins is confident Quevega has arrived at Cheltenham as good as ever ahead of her bid for an historic sixth consecutive victory in the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle this afternoon.

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.

Kolonel Kirkup was no mug on the level and must have a decent chance of taking top honours at Catterick.

Scimon Templar looks a worthy ally in the Cheltenham 2014 NRFB At BetVictor.com Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at Ayr today.

Ruby Walsh has admitted he would not have ridden Big Buck’s any differently in last Saturday’s Cleeve Hurdle.

Paul Nicholls appears to have a strong hand with six of the 50 entries for the £75,000 (€90,000) Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster on January 25.

Having only her second outing over fences, the Robert Tyner-trained Byerley Babe outclassed her rivals in the Student Race Festival Mares Beginners Chase on the final day of Limerick’s Christmas meeting.

Donald McCain and Jason Maguire took the honours with a pre-Christmas treble at Catterick yesterday.

Tom Scudamore feels a more generous pace in Saturday’s Wessex Youth Trust Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot could finally get the best out of the wayward Grands Crus.

Super Duty and Hadrian’s Approach return to Newbury today for a very different event to their previous encounter at the Berkshire course.

Richard Johnson has been booked by the Grand National-winning team of Sue and Harvey Smith for Hennessy Gold Cup contender Cloudy Too.

Irish jockey Eddie Ahern will appeal the 10-year disqualification imposed on him by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) following the conclusion of a corruption hearing.

Suspended trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni was guilty of a “widespread systematic misuse of illegal substances”, according to the British Horseracing Authority.

Donald McCain is unlikely to send Overturn for the Ryanair Novice Chase at Punchestown on Thursday.

John Smith’s Grand National heroes Auroras Encore and Ryan Mania are set to be reunited at Ayr this weekend after both were given the green light for Saturday’s Coral Scottish Grand National.

Gary Moore's Ubak shed his maiden tag in some style by running out a surprise winner of the John Smith's Mersey Novices' Hurdle at Aintree this afternoon.

Tony McCoy admitted he found it tough to choose the Ted Walsh-trained Colbert Station over Sunnyhillboy in tomorrows John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree.

Imperial Commander heads a list of 49 horses left in the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on Saturday following the five-day stage.