There was some competitive fare on offer at yesterday’s well-attended West Waterford Foxhounds point-to-point fixture at Lismore and handler John Queally, who was on the mark with former pointer Gaillimh A Chroi in the listed mares’ bumper at Sandown on Saturday, appears to have a cracking prospect on his hands in Uncle Danny who readily put his rivals to the sword in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The Gordon Elliot-trained Nedzer’s Return showed no ill-effects from his victory at Tattersalls Farm on Saturday by winning the open lightweight at yesterday’s Clonakilty point-to-point meeting, staged under the auspices of the Carbery Hunt on Inchydoney Island.

On an extremely busy point-to-point weekend, there were nine races at yesterday’s Muskerry Foxhounds meeting at Dromahane and the well-supported Dr Patmassini showed his appreciation for the fast underfoot surface by readily putting his rivals to the sword in the winners of one.

Adrian Maguire seems to have a rich source of talent at his disposal this season and, following Up The Ante’s facile debut success at the Kildorrery point-to-point on Saturday, the Laharn Cross-based operator sent out Sego Success to oblige in ridiculously-easy fashion at yesterday’s Carbery Hunt meeting at Kilpatrick outside Bandon.

TRANQUIL SEA, winner of the race a year earlier, duly outclassed his three rivals in the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase at Clonmel yesterday.

DERINLAUR opened his account over fences, at the seventh attempt, when making all under Denis Hogan to win the www.tipperaryraces.ie Beginners Chase at Tipperary yesterday.

THE Cathal Ryan Memorial Champion Novice Hurdle, the second Grade 1 on the card at Punchestown last night, was billed as a match between First Lieutenant and So Young.

THE dual point-to-point winner Fernhurst Lad battled dourly through very testing conditions to land the Demense Maiden Hurdle at Clonmel yesterday.

A VIRTUAL ‘Groundhog Day’ type scenario repeated itself at yesterday’s Dungarvan Harriers point-to-point meeting at Affane as Jimmy Mangan’s Rudi Trucker repeated his success of 12 months ago in the open lightweight.

ANGRY TDs yesterday expressed concern over the abolition of the Combat Poverty Agency (CPA) and its merger within a government department as it was revealed that 40% of the agency’s staff have been lost.

OIREACHTAS members will today quiz the head of a new department unit set up to replace the Combat Poverty Agency (CPA) about its priorities, amid concern over the “silencing” of the outgoing agency’s role.

THERE were no less than 12 races and 168 runners at Saturday’s rescheduled Kildare Hunt point-to-point meeting at Punchestown racecourse and Jamie Codd had an afternoon to savour with a whopping five winners.

DARIAK, absent since finishing fourth behind Indian Pace in the Galway Hurdle, stormed away with the Brandon Hotel Handicap Hurdle at Tralee yesterday.

OUR aging population is reliant on social welfare payments to stay just above the poverty line.

The Minister for Social and Family Affairs, has announced the appointment of Mr Gerry Mangan as Director of the new National Office for Social Inclusion.