The brilliant Irish mares Honeysuckle and Benie Des Dieux are on course to clash at Cheltenham next week, after both were among confirmations for the Close Brothers Hurdle.

NOTHING for it this week then, with Storm Ciara messing us about big-time, but to look ahead to the Cheltenham Festival in an effort to pinpoint some value.

The 2019 Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown was a bit of a disaster, but last weekend’s two-day renewal emerged relatively unscathed on Sunday evening.

Darren Norris selects eight takeaways from the Dublin Racing Festival with a view towards Cheltenham.

Talking horses with Darren Norris.

So much will happen between lunch time today and dinner time tomorrow that looking backwards to last week and as far back as last weekend seems pointless with how much the future has to offer.

Delta Work, Kemboy and Presenting Percy remain on course to renew rivalry at Leopardstown on Sunday, after all three stood their ground for the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup.

You don’t have to be any sort of genius to now know Notebook is a very good horse.

Dual Champion Hurdle runner-up Melon opened his account over fences with a battling display at Leopardstown.

Notebook continued his unbeaten record over fences with a convincing victory in the Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown.

There’s a brilliant day’s racing to look forward to, with quality racing spread across the 10 meetings which are scheduled to take place in Ireland and Britain.

Superb racing in Limerick and Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day as their respective four-day festivals get underway, and there is also a good card in Down Royal.

Quality. That’s all it takes it to attract a crowd.

The day starts well. (Spoiler alert: it will not continue in this vein.)

In the latter stages of his career in the saddle he may be but the joy of riding a winner at the Cheltenham Festival commands a broader-than-ever smile from Ruby Walsh, who didn’t have to wait long to make that familiar walk back to the winner’s enclosure.

The Unibet Champion Hurdle, the headline act on the opening day of the 2019 Cheltenham Festival, pits a hat-trick-seeking champion against a superstar mare as well as a mare with superstar potential

Nicky Henderson believes the professionalism of Angels Breath can come to the fore and help him secure a fourth success in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival today.