Naas hosts today’s horse racing action and Macbride can overcome an absence by taking the opening Welcome To Toomevara GAA Raceday Maiden Hurdle for Aidan O’Brien.

The winter season got underway in near summery conditions, on fast ground, at Thurles yesterday afternoon and, for the third consecutive year, sprightly veteran He’llberemembered landed the featured Premier County Hurdle for trainer Paul Fahey.

It’s Flat racing fare at Fairyhouse this afternoon, where Chestnut Fire looks a good value bet to send his supporters home on a winning note.

Quite a tricky looking card at Wexford today, where the ground is expected to ride on the easy side of good. Although Miss Me Now would prefer a little more cut in the ground, the Willie Mullins-trained mare will be very hard to beat in the closing bumper.

Two good meetings this afternoon, and the best bet comes in the shape of Roconga, who will take beating in the Mallow Hospital Maiden Hurdle.

The Ladbroke Hurdle is your typically competitive valuable handicap hurdle which poses the usual questions, but the area I feel punters should concentrate on in their search for this afternoon’s winner is the state of the ground.

THE National Hunt card at Limerick yesterday afternoon attracted national hunt weather but it was all sunshine for jockey Tom Doyle, who secured a 175-1 treble — his first in this country.

Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Sir Rembrandt will face six rivals in tomorrow’s Tommy Whittle Chase as he continues his build-up to another crack at chasing’s blue riband event next March.

KICKHAM, owned by J.P. McManus , seventh in the Galway Guinness Hurdle, got back to winning form at Tipperary yesterday with a hard earned win in the Frank Hogan Limerick Mercedes Benz Novice Hurdle.

THE Cashmans Bookmakers/South Union Foxhounds Cheltenham Preview - regarded

NED KELLY, 16/1 fifth favourite with Ladbrokes for the Champion Hurdle, is lame and will miss the rest of the National Hunt season.