Barry Geraghty believes Oscar Whisky was not at his best in the Cleeve Hurdle on Saturday, despite him proving his stamina over three miles.

Willie Mullins feels Hurricane Fly is back to the level he was at two years ago as the nine-year-old prepares to go in search of his third BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle crown in succession at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Henry de Bromhead has confirmed Sizing Europe will not run in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day.

Paul Nicholls once again dominated proceedings at Cheltenham with a glorious four-timer.

Harry Fry has had a change of heart and is now likely to give champion hurdler Rock On Ruby another run before the defence of his crown in March.

My nap of the weekend comes in the very first race at Cheltenham today — Far West in the juvenile hurdle — so we’ll all be out of our collective misery fairly early.

Grands Crus’ part-owner Roger Stanley maintains no hasty decisions will be taken over whether the grey participates in the William Hill King George VI Chase.

Barry Geraghty will make a decision on his William Hill King George VI Chase mount “sooner rather than later” according to trainer Nicky Henderson.

This has traditionally been the time of year when Binocular causes Nicky Henderson a major problem, but the trainer believes his troublesome gelding could just be in the shape to redeem himself in the Stan James Champion Hurdle.

Champion Hurdle contender Grandouet could still make the Cheltenham Festival after undergoing a successful operation last night.

Nicky Henderson has elected to run Binocular, rather than Grandouet, in tomorrow’s Bathwick Tyres Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton.

Zarkandar has managed more than his fair share of waiting and Paul Nicholls’ aspiring star has negotiated another week of delays before he finally gets his season underway in tomorrow’s Betfair Hurdle at Newbury.

Binocular is more likely to have a racecourse gallop at Newbury than run in the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton on Saturday, despite appearing among the entries.

Nicky Henderson has ruled out taking Binocular to Ireland for his prep race before the Stan James Champion Hurdle.

AGAIN, the weekend’s fare on the horse racing front isn’t the most inspiriting but Kempton, which is a track I like for national hunt racing, hosts a decent card, which features the Lanzarote Hurdle.

DERMOT WELD expects to have a better idea of where Unaccompanied stands in the pecking order after she runs in the BHP Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on January 29.

NICKY Henderson feels Spirit Son is the dark horse among his three-strong contenders for the StanJames.com Champion Hurdle.

Nicky Henderson’s three contenders for the StanJames.com Champion Hurdle will each have one more outing before that March 13 race.

A SMALL but select field of five will go to post for the williamhill.com Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Monday, with last season’s winner Binocular looking to repair his reputation.

Nicky Henderson believes he has Binocular in the best possible shape to retain his williamhill.com Christmas Hurdle title on St Stephen's Day.

Hurdle marker in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham and although he's just a four-year-old with plenty of scope for improvement, one senses that this afternoon's race will define the horse’s hurdling ambitions for the remainder of his career.

TODAY is all about Kauto Star and his attempt to hold back time and take on some of the best horses around in the Betfair Chase at Haydock.

Nicky Henderson and Barry Geraghty took the honours on the final day of the Punchestown Festival with a 235-1 treble – highlighted by Grandouet’s win in the AES Champion Four Year Old Hurdle.

UNACCOMPANIED has to be the nap choice to land the Grade 1 AES Champion four-year-old Hurdle at the final stage of Punchestown this afternoon.

Zarkandar gave champion trainer Paul Nicholls a second success in the JCB Triumph Hurdle when landing an emphatic triumph in the opening race on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival.

THIRD in the race last year, Siegemaster defied top-weight in the Connolly’s Red Mills Thyestes Chase yesterday, giving trainer Dessie Hughes, jockey Davy Russell and owner Michael O’Leary of Gigginstown House Stud their first win in the traditional Gowran Park feature.