KAUTO STAR showed his well-being ahead of the Guinness Gold Cup at the Punchestown Festival with a pleasing piece of work at the weekend.

THE Punchestown executive must be smacking their collective lips in expectation of a massive spin-off from Cheltenham for their forthcoming festival.

WILLIE MULLINS insists his brilliant mare Quevega is likely to compete against her own sex once again at Cheltenham next year after completing a hat-trick in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle last week.

THREE years ago Sizing Europe started favourite for the Champion Hurdle and looked all over a winner going down to the second last.

WHEN I settled down, after what was an astonishing first day of Cheltenham, I began to reflect on all of the miserable days I suffered over the previous four months.

The stomach is churning now and I can’t wait for the second race today, when my own involvement in Cheltenham begins in earnest with Oscars Well in the Neptune Investment Novices’ Hurdle.

THE first three home in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham last year — Albertas Run, Poquelin and J’y Vole — are set to lock horns in the race again tomorrow.

Dual winner Master Minded and last year’s hero Big Zeb are among a field of 11 for the sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday.

Voy Por Ustedes is a fascinating supplementary entry for the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham on Thursday.

Check out our tips from today’s horse races across Ireland and the UK.

TWENTY-FOUR horses, and all the big names, remain in the reckoning at the latest forfeit stage for next month’s totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Master Minded will face a maximum of 14 rivals when he attempts to land the sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase for a third time on March 16.

Colm Murphy reports Zaarito to be on the road to recovery and is planning a late-season campaign for the luckless nine-year-old.

WILLIE MULLINS is a phenomenon. That five-timer at Punchestown last Sunday, from just six races, was a remarkable feat and emphasised that, at least in this country, he operates on a different level to all other trainers.

Golden Silver (3-1) got the better of Big Zeb at the fifth attempt in the Boylesports.com Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown.

I’LL be mildly disappointed if the appropriately named Rock On Ruby doesn’t deliver for Paul Nicholls in the Grade 2 novice hurdle at Cheltenham today, should the meeting pass an inspection.

PUNCHESTOWN will host a top quality seven-race card this Sunday, featuring the Grade 2 Boylesports.com Chase.

Paul Townend was coolness personified as he brought Golden Silver to deny the enterprisingly-ridden Rubi Light in the feature Tote Pick Six Normans Grove Chase at Fairyhouse.

Colm Murphy’s Big Zeb reaffirmed his position as the best two-mile chaser in Ireland with success in the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown.

Willie Mullins endured a day of mixed fortunes in the major events at Fairyhouse with two Grade One triumphs soured by the fall of great hope Mikael D'Haguenet today.

I’M at Cheltenham today for Channel 4 and it’s terrific to see some proper racing back on the menu.

CORK, which is set to house a terrific card, is virtually certain to go ahead on Sunday.

WILLIE MULLINS has yet to make any hard and fast plans for his stable stars’ return to the race course but reports most of them to be in fine fettle as the National Hunt season kicks into gear.

WILLIE MULLINS’ Golden Silver, a proven mud-lark, showed he is just as effective on a sound surface when landing the Boylesports.com Champion Chase at Punchestown yesterday.

Golden Silver defied worries about the quicker ground to run out an impressive winner of the Boylesports.com Champion Chase.

GOLDEN SILVER, in the colours of Violet O’Leary, defied top-weight to land the Tattersalls Ireland Dan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse yesterday.

WILLIE Mullins is thrilled with the condition of his Cheltenham Festival team after a large number enjoyed a schooling session at Naas on Tuesday.

NICANOR, who once beat Denman at the Cheltenham Festival, should be finally ready to strike over fences in the Trim Beginners Chase at Navan this afternoon.

Big Zeb’s Champion Chase aspirations were realigned courtesy of a highly impressive performance at Punchestown.

I RIDE in all seven races at Cheltenham this afternoon and will certainly be disappointed if returning to Ireland tonight without a winner.

Noel Meade bagged a second Grade One inside the space of 24 hours as Hollo Ladies followed up Go Native’s Kempton success in the Paddypowerpoker.com Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.

The Willie Mullins-trained Golden Silver claimed the scalp of Tranquil Sea in the Grade One Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown.

I’D imagine Tom Cooper returned from Sandown last Saturday a reasonably happy man.

NOEL Meade reports Aran Concerto to be firmly on target for a return to Grade One company in the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

GOLDEN SILVER, owned by Violet and Archie O’Leary, sprang a minor surprise when landing the Grade 1 Arkle Perpetual Cup at Leopardstown yesterday.

Golden Silver provided Willie Mullins with a third Arkle Perpetual Challenge Cup Novice Chase success as he rewarded shrewd market support at Leopardstown.

Willie Mullins will launch a two-pronged attack headed by Jayo and Golden Silver in a bid to secure the Arkle Perpetual Challenge Cup at Leopardstown on Sunday.

PAUL Nolan is set to let Cuan Na Grai have his first start over fences in the Arkle Perpetual Challenge Cup Novice Chase at Leopardstown on Sunday.

THOMAS Cooper is happy with the condition of Forpadydeplasterer ahead of the Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse on Sunday.