The Shay Barry-trained De Bene Esse hinted that a bright track career lies in wait by readily putting his rivals to the sword in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden at yesterday’s Bandon point-to-point meeting, run under the auspices of the Carbery Foxhounds at Kilpatrick.

Rebel Fitz, having a first outing for 160 days, produced a smashing display to land the www.racinghomeforeaster.com Hurdle at the students’ meeting at Cork yesterday.

For almost a century, the strange phenomenon of “the footprints” has fascinated people in the Duhallow area of north-west Cork and beyond.

Bryan Cooper got off to a flyer as the new first jockey to Gigginstown House Stud when guiding Gordon Elliott’s Toner D’Oudairies to victory in the Racecourse Supporters’ Club Chase at Thurles yesterday.

Colman Sweeney received the ideal boost ahead of partnering Salsify in the Cheltenham Foxhunters in a little under two weeks time by steering Garrett Ahern’s newcomer Now Ben to a hugely-impressive success in the first division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden at yesterday’s West Waterford Foxhounds point-to-point meeting at Lismore.

On an afternoon when Galway Hurdle hero Rebel Fitz paraded after the second race, the veteran Tommy Treacy took the riding honours with a double at Cork yesterday.

WHEN Howard Johnson retired from training in England his principal patrons, Graham and Andrea Wylie, decided to send a batch of horses to Willie Mullins.

THE 2010/11 point-to-point season came well and truly alive at yesterday’s well-attended Lisgoold meeting, which was staged on a new left-handed course at Leadington.

PAUL CARBERRY proved an unlikely hero at Thurles yesterday, two days after his controversial 30-day ban started.

THE plight of old Irish labourers in Britain was in the news again lately.

YOUR report states that no one was charged with the murder of Garda Richard Fallon (Irish Examiner, Dec 23).

THE Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, should resign following his unfounded allegations against Sinn Féin.