Without a win since landing the Grade One Scilly Isles Novice Chase at Sandown a year ago, Gitane Du Berlais made all to capture the listed BBA Ireland Ltd Opera Hat Mares Chase in Naas yesterday.

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.

Trainer Jim Dreaper is looking forward to seeing Goonyella tackle Aintree’s Grand National fences for the second time in the Betfred Becher Chase on Saturday.

Andrew Lynch was in sparkling form in Tramore last evening, completing a superb treble on Punch Bag, Master Appeal and Miss Peacetime.

The Jim Dreaper-trained Los Amigo has a rock-solid each-way chance in today’s Boylesports Irish Grand National.

Willie Mullins has raised the possibility of running two of his stable stars in the Doom Bar Aintree Hurdle on Thursday week.

Debutant Sizinguptheamazon proved the star of yesterday’s action in Clonmel, turning over odds-on favourite Augustin in the bumper, the Ardfinnan Flat Race.

Robbie Power gave the Jessica Harrington-trained Ttebbob an enterprising ride to land the opening Munster Hurdle in Clonmel yesterday.

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

Jim Dreaper plans to target Los Amigos at the Irish Grand National after the eight-year-old made a triumphant return following a 328-day absence at Fairyhouse on Saturday.

Back at the scene of an effortless bumper success at the Festival, the classy Windsor Park proved the star of yesterday’s action in Galway, coasting to a smooth success over Marchese Marconi in the www.swordsecurity.com Amateur Race.

Shield rounded off a terrific week for Aidan O’Brien, JP McManus and Mark Walsh when cruising to victory in the Dawn Omega Milk Novice Hurdle, as an attendance in excess of 7,000 topped off a very successful festival.

Goonyella gets the vote to give Jim Dreaper a fifth success in the Boylesports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse today.

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.

Paul Webber is ready to let Cantlow carry what could be top-weight in the Boylesports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday.

The weights for Easter Monday’s Boylesports Irish Grand National are set to rise by 3lb after Fairyhouse manager Peter Roe confirmed yesterday that the Paul Webber-trainedCantlow was a definite traveller.

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.

Crabbie’s Grand National entry Goonyella is to have his first start of the year in Thursday’s Surehaul Mercedes-Benz Novice Hurdle at Clonmel.

Goonyella will bid to give trainer Jim Dreaper a second victory in the Coral Welsh National when he lines up for the feature race this afternoon at Chepsow.

Un De Sceaux, going off at odds of 1-16, dismissed his two rivals with the minimum of fuss in the Horse And Jockey Hotel Hurdle at Thurles yesterday.

Trainer Dessie Hughes is concerned conditions at Navan will not be testing enough for last year’s winner Tofino Bay and Raz De Maree in tomorrow’s Ladbrokes Troytown Handicap Chase.

Jim Dreaper appears to have a seriously-talented-prospect on his hands in the form of Lord Fingal who lit up Saturday’s Ward Union hunt point-to-point at The Folly outside Oldtown in north Co Dublin by coming home as he pleased in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

On a miserably wet afternoon for all concerned, the Pat Doyle-trained Serious Mixture lit up yesterday’s Kilkenny Foxhounds point-to-point meeting at Grennan Castle outside Thomastown by recording a gallant pillar-to-post success in a competitive first division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The Dermot Weld-trained Diplomat popped up at 10-1 in the www.thetote.com Kingdom Gold Cup at Killarney last night.

BEACH Of Falesa has to be the fancy to complete a hat-trick in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Fillies Handicap at Killarney tonight.

On a night when trainer Tony Mullins and his jockey-son Danny shared a 98/1 double, it was the Willie Mullins-trained mare Glens Melody which proved the equine star in Sligo, landing the concluding Cleveragh Flat Race in emphatic style.

JIM DREAPER’S Mobile Sizer, having only a second outing and a first over jumps, took the first division of the two mile Maiden Hurdle at Tipperary last night.

JP McManus has a strong hand in the Ladbrokes Irish Grand National with ante-post 8-1 favourite Groody Hill set to be joined by his Cheltenham Festival winner Alfie Sherrin and Pertemps Final runner-up Catch Me at Fairyhouse on April 9.

Veteran Cadogan, which belatedly got off the mark over fences on this track two weeks ago, made all to land the valuable Irish Stallion Farms Novice Handicap Chase at Navan yesterday, the second leg of a double for trainer Jim Dreaper.

THIS week, Ted Walsh continues his long-standing love affair with the Cheltenham festival.

EARLIER this week’s boxing’s ‘The Greatest’ Muhammad Ali, celebrated his 70th birthday and 50 years ago yesterday, National Hunt racing’s equivalent, the peerless steeplechaser Arkle, gained his first victory in a modest novice hurdle at Navan.

Jim Dreaper is keeping his fingers crossed Notre Pere can show some of his old spark when he returns to action in the Thurles Chase on Thursday.

MICHAEL Hourigan is confident the step up in trip will not trouble Dancing Tornado in the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday.

DAVY Russell believes the likely testing conditions will play to the strengths of Money Trix in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Notre Pere will bid to book his ticket for the Cheltenham Gold Cup with a prominent showing in the Irish Hennessy at Leopardstown next month.

Connections of Voy Por Ustedes are hoping conditions will not be too testing for the former champion two-miler in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown tomorrow.

Jim Dreaper is confident Notre Pere can regain his old sparkle in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown next Monday.

Jim Dreaper is looking forward to seeing his stable star Notre Pere make his first start of the campaign in the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal tomorrow.

JIM Dreaper is keeping his fingers crossed Notre Pere can establish himself as a realistic Gold Cup contender this season as he prepares his stable star for a return to action.

Notre Pere ploughed through the mud to claim the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup and earn a 10-1 quote with totesport for the equivalent race at Cheltenham next March.

FOR many people it is the romance of racing that is the attraction; of being part of – or merely witnessing – fabled stories which are ultimately woven into the very fabric of the sport and become legend.

NOTRE PERE jumped and galloped his rivals silly to take the Guinness Gold Cup by a whopping 13 lengths at Punchestown last night.

Notre Pere demonstrated his admirable stamina - not to mention a real touch of class - in powering to victory in the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup today.