Silent Oscar pipped last year's winner Macs Joy as the pair battled it out down the Punchestown straight in a thrilling ACC Bank Champion Hurdle.

MACS JOY, a brilliant winner of the race a year ago, is fancied to do the business again in the ACC Bank Champion Hurdle at the concluding stage of the Punchestown Festival today.

Champion Hurdle hero Sublimity will not bid for a big-race double at Punchestown on Friday.

THE ACCBank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown on April 27 is shaping up to be one of the races of the season after Willie Mullins and Noel Meade threw their hats into the ring.

NEW champion hurdler Sublimity is to be aimed at the Punchestown Champion Hurdle on April 27, trainer John Carr has revealed.

Sublimity and Philip Carberry landed odds of 16-1 in a thrilling renewal of the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, the feature race on the opening day of the 2007 Cheltenham Festival.

NOEL MEADE is “pretty certain” the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle will be Aran Concerto’s target at next month’s Cheltenham Festival.

NOEL MEADE is set to establish which race Aran Concerto will run in at the Cheltenham Festival after the Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown on Saturday.

JAZZ MESSENGER and Iktitaf have both returned sound from their assault on Sunday’s AIG Europe Champion Hurdle but Noel Meade feels the latter might have been compromised by an infection.

Jazz Messenger and Iktitaf have both returned sound from their assault on Sunday’s AIG Europe Champion Hurdle but Noel Meade feels the latter might have been compromised by an infection.

Colm Murphy could not be happier with Brave Inca’s preparation for his defence of the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Punchestown tomorrow.

THE AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown tomorrow has attracted what can only be described as an extraordinary line-up.

Smart novice hurdler Sublimity will bid to book his Champion Hurdle place when he has his first run of the season in the Navan Golf Club Open For Membership Hurdle at Navan on Saturday.

YOU have got to say Sunday’s AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown has a far more interesting shape to it than might have been expected.

CHAMPION Hurdler Brave Inca will face a maximum of eight rivals in what looks a fascinating renewal of the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Champion Hurdler Brave Inca will face a maximum of eight rivals in what looks a fascinating renewal of the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Noel Meade has warned that his stable stars Iktitaf and Harchibald are unlikely to run in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle on Sunday week if the going remains heavy at Leopardstown.

NEWMILL, winner of last year’s Queen Mother Champion Chase, could head straight to the Cheltenham Festival after bypassing two possible engagements this weekend.

Newmill, winner of last year’s Queen Mother Champion Chase, could head straight to the Cheltenham Festival after bypassing two possible engagements this weekend.

NOEL MEADE’S Iktitaf, Harchibald and Jazz Messenger are all on course for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle, with the latter most likely to contest the AIG Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on January 28.

CHELTENHAM two mile Champion Chaser Newmill, who hasn't been seen since returning to action when fourth of four behind Iktitaf in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown in the middle of November, could have his pre-Festival run later this month.

IF some of us are to learn one lesson from the four-day Leopardstown extravaganza it is that we must never, ever, underestimate Brave Inca again.

A possible rematch between Brave Inca and Iktitaf in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle later this month is likely to hinge on the ground.

TONY MCCOY heads for Newbury this afternoon and so misses teaming up with Brave Inca in the bewleyshotels.com December Festival Hurdle.

Brave Inca and Iktitaf face a small-field rematch in the bewleyshotels.com December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown tomorrow.

CASHMANS have installed totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup hero War Of Attrition and race specialist Beef Or Salmon as the 6-4 joint-favourites for the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on December 28.

Colm Murphy is confident champion hurdler Brave Inca will put up an improved performance in the Ballymore Properties Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

BRAVE INCA heads a list of six possible runners in the Ballymore Properties Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

Dual Champion Hurdle winner Hardy Eustace and crack mare Asian Maze will be entered in the Grade Two Boylesports.com International at Cheltenham on December 9.

Brave Inca heads a list of six possible runners in the Ballymore Properties Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

ALL you have to do is look at the bare result of this year's Cheltenham Gold Cup to realise just how a big a chance Kauto Star has in the 2007 renewal.

Noel Meade moved to silence the doubters last night after Iktitaf’s victory in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday.

COLM MURPHY is weighing up the options for stable star Brave Inca after he made a satisfactory return at Punchestown on Sunday.

NOEL MEADE has moved to silence the doubters after Iktitaf’s victory in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday.

Noel Meade has moved to silence the doubters after Iktitaf's victory in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday.

Colm Murphy is weighing up the options for stable star Brave Inca after he made a satisfactory return at Punchestown yesterday.

The Noel Meade trained Iktitaf showed he would be a serious contender for the Champions Hurdle at Cheltenham next March with a fine victory at the Maplewood Developments Morgiana Hurdle in Punchestown.

CHAMPION Hurdler Brave Inca makes his seasonal reappearance in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown tomorrow where he will have to do without the services of Tony McCoy.

TONY McCoy, as expected, has been claimed to partner Clan Royal in the Becher Chase at Aintree and so misses the ride on Brave Inca in the Maplewood Developments Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown tomorrow.

Brave Inca will bid for back-to-back victories in the Maplewood Developments Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday.

IKTITAF and Harchibald, Noel Meade’s two Champion Hurdle aspirants, are firmly on course for their respective targets before Christmas.

Iktitaf will revert to back to hurdles tomorrow when he contests the Ryan’s Cleaning Services Hurdle at Punchestown.

ANNO JUBILO can get the weekend away to the perfect start by landing the Guinness Brewhouse Series Novice Chase at Listowel this afternoon.

Jubilant trainer John Murphy will weigh up the options before deciding whether to step his brilliant two-mile chaser Newmill up in trip next season.