The victory of Rehn’s Nest in the Group 3 Lodge Park Stud Park Express Stakes proved the highlight of a spectacular opening day of the 2013 turf flat season for trainer Jim Bolger at the Curragh yesterday.

The flat season on turf starts at the Curragh tomorrow, with the nap vote going to the mud-loving Yellow Rosebud in the Group 3 Lodge Park Stud EBF Park Express Stakes.

...In addition to resolving the child abuse, corruption and banking scandals, will you shed infallibility and extend an olive branch to Christians in the east to unite the Church once more? asks AN Wilson

Catherine Shanahan reports on how the ‘man of the people’ is viewed in Rome by Irish members of religious orders

WHEN you think about it, the really surprising thing is how surprised we all were.

Pope Francis today offered intimate insights into the moments after his papal election, telling an audience with the press that he was immediately inspired to take the name of St Francis of Assisi because of his work for peace and the poor.

“A Jesuit intellect and a Franciscan spirit may be exactly the combination of heart and head that the Church needs at this time.”

On CNN’s Connect the World programme on Mar 11, the day before the conclave opened, host Becky Anderson asked me a question about geographic blocs in the college of cardinals.

The sharp knives of politics have prepared the new pope well, say Joshua Goodman and Juan Pablo Spinetto.

Premier handicap wins for Snow Queen and Offer proved the highlights of an 87/1 treble for Aidan O’Brien at Naas yesterday.

Joseph O’Brien moved further clear in the race for the Flat jockeys’ championship as Francis Of Assisi ran out a clear-cut winner of the Tifrums European Breeders Fund Maiden at Naas.