Off the beaten track It took the impending birth of his son and a sense of responsibility to his new family to focus Cathal Landers’ mind at last.

Two ladies dominated day two in Killarney, Maxine O’Sullivan ensuring a day to remember for her family when winning aboard Citizen Al before doubling up in the bumper, aboard the gambled-on Raya Time, and Rachael Blackmore also completing a brace, aboard Icantsay and Benkei.

There was a sad postscript after the race for Bolger.

Aside from Footpad’s crystal-clear claims in the Ryanair Novice Chase, today’s card looks quite difficult for punters.

Cheltenham this afternoon is an absolute minefield and punters would do well to proceed with extreme caution.

Robbie Power is confident the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup trip is within Sizing John’s compass.

Gordon Elliott proved yet again he is the man to follow in the big handicaps when Ball D'Arc ran out an easy winner of the valuable Bar One Racing Dan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse.

In 2012 Raz De Maree won the Paddy Power Cork National for the late Dessie Hughes, and four years on - now an 11-year-old and trained by Gavin Cromwell - he showed the light still burns brightly as earned a second victory in the feature race at a packed Mallow racecourse.

Anyone else looking forward to getting up at 3.45am next Tuesday to watch the Melbourne Cup?

Martin Keighley is determined to win the Glenfarclas Chase again with Any Currency after his disqualification from first place in the cross-country event at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Without a win since landing the Grade 1 Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse in March 2013, Realt Mor returned to the winner’s enclosure when landing the Sheridan Agri-Contractors Chase in Ballinrobe last night.

Enda Bolger led the tributes to JT McNamara after the former leading amateur rider died aged 41.

The winning favourites which topped and tailed the card were not enough to prevent punters finishing a distant second behind the layers on day one of the Punchestown festival.

Two evening meetings today, the national hunt fare taking place in Kilbeggan, and the flat action at Dundalk.

Federici proved himself on course for next week’s Punchestown Festival when coasting to an emphatic victory in the Next racing At Fairyhouse June 2nd Handicap Hurdle in Fairyhouse yesterday.

Yorkhill has been rerouted to this longer test, having swerved the Supreme.

For most people lucky enough to have a birthday coinciding with the Cheltenham Festival a pair of tickets to the meeting is a valued present — but Colm O’Connell might just enjoy the best celebration of all, a Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase win for Un De Sceaux.

Kerry Lee will be praying for a rainy Easter as she contemplates running Russe Blanc in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on March 28.

Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite Don Cossack is set to be one of the stars on show at the annual post-racing gallops at Leopardstown tomorrow.

Risk Of Thunder, owned by actor Sean Connery and credited with stimulating interest in cross-country races in Ireland, has died at the age of 27.

There’s a weekend of terrific racing in Ireland and Britain, and Outlander gets the nap to the get punters off to a good start by taking the competitive-looking Gain Supporting Laois GAA Beginners’ Chase this afternoon at Punchestown.

The death of a promising young jockey was recalled yesterday at an inquest in Limerick.

Seven hundred and four days after suffering serious injuries in a fall at Perth, Brian Toomey has again been granted a professional jump jockeys’ licence.

It’s five years since trainer Enda Bolger last saddled the winner of the La Touche Cup but Quantitativeeasing can right that particular wrong in this afternoon’s renewal at Punchestown.

Willie Mullins enjoyed a clean sweep of the Grade 1 events on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival, but some second-string representatives were called upon to help deliver the treble in front of a record opening-day crowd of 20,214.

The Punchestown Festival kicks off with the Fr Sean Breen Memorial Chase and Wish Ye Didnt gets the nap to set punters off on the right foot.

John ’Shark’ Hanlon is hoping Hidden Cyclone can show his true colours in the BoyleSports Champion Chase at Punchestown on April 28.

Gilgamboa provided another fairytale chapter in Tony McCoy’s retirement tour when capturing the Grade 1 Ryanair Gold Cup Novice Chase in Fairyhouse yesterday.